Sailors’ Society Launches Sea Mate Training Pilot

The maritime welfare charity Sailors’ Society has launched a new training program to promote and sustain crew well-being on board.

Under its revolutionary Sea Mate initiative, the charity’s global team will provide comprehensive training for the new role of wellbeing officer on board ships.

With funding from Trinity House, Sea Mate will equip wellbeing officers with the skills to roll out wellbeing initiatives on board ships. These officers will offer basic counseling and guidance to fellow crew members facing personal or professional challenges and act as crisis responders to assist during emergencies.

Sea Mates will advise the crew of all Sailors’ Society’s services, including training, resources, and helplines. The aim is to create safer and more harmonious operations on board ships.

Sailors’ Society CEO Sara Baade said: “As crews spend less time in port and more time at sea, it is vital that seafarers get the support they need whenever and wherever they need it. As part of our mission to offer 24/7 support to as many of the world’s 1.9 million seafarers as possible, this role will help maintain crew wellbeing on board and offer that first and vital triage support when seafarers are in distress.”

The Sea Mate pilot will take place this month (February). Seafarers from Seaspan, Seaarland Shipping Management Services, Uniteam Marine, Sanmar Group, MT Shipping, and Songa Shipmanagement will trial the three-day online course.