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Sailors’ Society’s London Wellness at Sea conference to address critical issue of crew welfare

6 Nov, 2017

Ship owners must prioritise crew wellness to prevent disasters like El Faro – that’s the message from Sailors’ Society CEO Stuart Rivers as he announces the charity’s second Wellness at Sea Conference (WASC).

The conference, which aims to address crew wellness and how this impacts on the health of the ship - and ultimately the health of the ship owner’s balance sheet – will be held in London on 16 March 2018.

Stuart Rivers, Sailors’ Society’s CEO, said, “Countless investigations into disasters at sea, including the recent El Faro tragedy, have proven that anxiety and fatigue can take a terrible toll on the decision-making abilities of crew.

“We’re heartened to see so many industry leaders collaborating with us on our Wellness work and are expecting a high turnout from forward-thinking companies at next year’s conference.”

The conference, sponsored by global mobile satellite communications company Inmarsat, will explore all aspects of seafarer wellness and is aimed at ship owners and those concerned with the recruitment and retention of crews.

Held in the state-of-the-art facilities at 99 City Road Conference Centre, WASC 2018 will feature presentations from industry and academic experts on all aspects of crew wellness and focus on how ship operations impact on crew morale and retention, including digital communications, ship safety and cyber awareness.

Speakers include Euronav CEO Paddy Rodgers, UKP&I Club’s Stuart Edmonston, Inmarsat’s Drew Brandy and Dr Rafael Lefkowitz of Yale University.

Drew Brandy, Senior Vice President Market Strategy for Inmarsat Maritime, said, “"We are delighted to act as host for next year’s Wellness at Sea Conference at Inmarsat headquarters. Connectivity with friends, family and the wider world has become a welfare issue for seafarers, and Inmarsat is convinced that the digital choices employers make have a direct influence on crew morale, and consequences for recruitment and retention.”

Delegates will also be among the first to hear findings of a pilot study on the correlation between internet access on board and crew cohesion, as well as the results of Sailors’ Society’s seafarer wellness survey conducted by Yale University.

The conference will conclude with an evening drinks reception, where delegates and additional guests can relax and reflect on the outcomes of the day. The event is doubly exciting as it falls in maritime welfare charity Sailors’ Society’s 200th anniversary year.

Visit www.sailorssocietywasc.org to book your tickets. Delegate tickets are just £75 (+VAT) on the early bird rate to 31 December 2017.

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