Filistos ASCOT’s psychometric tests can offer a wide range of information for the crew and human resources departments. In our continuous strive to improve our services, we have developed the Individual Matrix.

A simple report that utilizes the factors of our questionnaires providing an easy and clear identification of KPI’s based on the rank or position of the examinee.

Has the wellbeing of the seafarers been effected due to COVID-19 pandemic and if yes how?

Has the mental health of the seafarers been effected due to COVID-19 pandemic and if yes how?

These are the two main questions that Filistos ASCOT survey on more than 4.900 seafarers attempts to answer, but most importantly we try to provide simple and viable solutions in order to assist the organizations help their seafarers overcome these issues.

You can access the full report for free using this link.

Since the start of the ban on movements due to COVID-19, all shipping companies have been trying for the obvious, to declare seafarers, essential workers, so that the necessary changes can be made.

The consequences of this problem are multidimensional and create an equation that, now, seems almost impossible to solve for two reasons. First, situations continue to change. Secondly, the pressure experienced by seafarers is now so great that any intervention becomes particularly difficult.

Recently, Filistos ASCOT presented a study on the psychological state of seafarers, from February to May 2020. In the table below and the corresponding graph, we can see the difference between this four-month period between 2019 and 2020.

Our sample for these results is from 2479 seafarers from 17 countries and all positions. The sectors from which they come are oil tankers, dry cargo and cruise ships.

Seafarer’s Well-Being February to May 2019-2020 Comparison

From the graph above we can see that all factors related to mental health, anxiety, stress, depression, have a significant increase. It should be noted that this increase is in officers and ratings alike, which makes these results even more worrying.

The three points I would like to focus on, however, are the significant increase in suicidal thoughts from 12% to 22%, which shows almost a 100% increase of those who have thought at least once to end their lives. Also, the appearance of paranoid thoughts, due to anxiety, which also almost doubled, from 7% to 13%. But what I see as the most important element is “Job Dissatisfaction”, i.e. the tendency of the individual to want to change profession. In 2019 this figure was 6%, an acceptable percentage for any industry. In the same period in 2020, this figure has soared to 39% i.e. an increase of 6.5 times. One useful piece of information we found is that the difference between officers and ratings was also, not statistically significant. That suggests that even high-ranking officers, i.e. masters, chief engineers, will seriously consider embarking again.

But what does these numbers mean?

Under no circumstances we imply that all 39% of seafarers will leave the maritime profession. This figure is of concern because it shows the general dissatisfaction and anxiety the current situation creates. From discussions with seafarers that we have conducted for support, they understand, most of them at least, that it is not the companies’ fault but transnational, that is also not enough though. Even if no one leaves shipping, this 39% suggests an increased suspicion and the possibility of an upcoming inflexibility from the seafarers, because there will be a fear of not being in a similar situation again.

At the moment one cannot question the increased pressure felt by the people onboard, who are working longer than expected, based on their contracts, with increased fatigue and listening to what is happening, with numbers of cases and deaths of  COVID-19 in each country and suicides of seafarers who cannot be repatriated.

Also, we must not forget the large number of seafarers who cannot work, because no changes are being made and they are in a dire economic situation. For this population, unfortunately we do not have any evidence that we can present.

What does the future hold?

The honest answer is we do not know. The global situation is so fluid that safe conclusions cannot be drawn. We can only focus on some simple interventions to support seafarers, who may be in poor mental condition at this time:

• Ability of providing support in case of need.
• Ability to monitor by the captain of the mental health and condition of the crew.
• Need to inform families about the whole development and provide guidelines for their communication with their seafarers onboard.
• Frequent newsfeed by the company about relative developments to control, as far as possible, fake news, which can create huge problems.

Allow me to answer to the cynics, by saying that clearly all the above will not solve the problem, because the problem is transnational. So, since this situation is not under our control, we must see what we can do to improve it as far as possible. These interventions we have seen in practice on a number of seafarers that we have supported that are quite effective.

Currently, it is everyone’s duty to help. In the context of social corporate responsibility, Filistos ASCOT has created material, print and video, which we distribute, free of charge, to support seafarers and their families. You can contact us to send you the material electronically, at no charge. This is a major crisis for the industry, and it is our firm belief that we all need to cooperate to help our seafarers as much and as effectively as possible.

See the Greek version of this article at https://www.isalos.net/2020/06/covid-19-oi-synepeies-stin-psychologiki-katastasi-ton-naftikon/

 

When this whole situation with COVID-19 began, a joke circulating on social media was that “We live the questions on the 2150 history examinations”. It seems that this statement has some truth in it after all. The cancellation of all seafarer’s changes by 15 April (?),  blockades and restrictions on ports and the need for mariners to continue carrying  out their work effectively and safely, creates enormous psychological pressure.

Recently reading an article by a captain describing the whole situation and the pressure his crew and himself are feeling, I looked at the comments of other readers, including some sailors,  as they claimed. Most were supportive, others’ comments were like “You make so much money so don’t complain”. Although I am not a seafarer these comments only frustration, disappointment and anger can create to any person who realizes that 80% of the commerce it is done through maritime. Nevertheless the purpose of this article I would like it to be more practical. During a number of communications that I had over the past few days with seafarers onboard for support, I realized that the levels of anxiety are quite high.  So what I would like to address, what is stress, what is anxiety and provide some simple and practical suggestions about how to manage it, while onboard.

First, we need separate stress from anxiety. Stress is the term we use to describe the normal emotion that someone experiences when facing any threat, danger or psychological pressure. Stress is something constructive that allows us to stay safe, being cautious and evolve.

Anxiety,  on the other hand, is the persistent feelings of high degree of anxiety, excessive discomfort and tension. A person has a problem with anxiety if his level is so high that it interferes with his daily life and does not allow him to do the things he wants or has to do. In short, stress is good and anxiety is bad. Stress is productive and anxiety is the problem that drains our energy and does not allow us to relax.

There are many symptoms associated with anxiety. The most common are:

• The person worries all the time
• Lack of trust and suspicion
• He always wants to discuss his concerns without the desire to try to find a solution.
• He feels his mind is running.
• Anger
• Irritability
• Impatience
• Lack of concentration
• Confusion
• Feelings of guilt

It can also present a variety of other “anxious” worries and behaviors that are usually easily perceived when you speak or observe the person.

But what can we do when we or another colleague of ours finds that we or another colleague is under intense stress?

There are many techniques that can help us reduce anxiety, however, we cannot and should not implement some at least without guidance and supervision. For example, I see several guides that mentioning that breathing exercises can calm us down. That is right, but if we do not do it right, it can increase our anxiety and cause even panic attacks. So if we have not done this procedure before, it is best to avoid it!

So what can we do? The secret in this case is to implement simple  solutions that can be highly effective.

1. Talk to your family, friends onboard and onshore. English translation. Not about the virus or the situation, but about other issues. Try to confirm to yourself and others that life goes on, even under these extraordinary situations. That does not mean you are going to pretend the current situation does not exist, but do not just talk about it!
2. Do things that can distract you and help you take your mind of. Listen to music, watch a movie, read or anything that might make you enjoy your free time.
3. Even half an hour of exercise can relax you and reduce stress levels.
4. Evaluate what you can control and what is not. Most of the time what makes us nervous is “the need to control our environment”. But that is not always possible and the current situation confirms exactly that. Yes it is a difficult situation but for the most part is beyond our control, so you better focus on what you can influence and change.

One important thing to remember when someone experiences intense anxiety you should not approach him when they are in that state! Someone who is very anxious or panicking is in a battle mode. He feels threatened by something, unable to comprehend what, so he perceives as a threat everyone around.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, these are extraordinary situations and probably many things will be different in our daily lives even after the end of the pandemic. That is the reason why there is no protocol about what we should and should not do. All we can do is combine our knowledge of different situations, evaluate the outcome and when the need arises to adapt. We should have no doubt that in the end we will succeed, however difficult this may seem now.

To surviving is a need, thriving is a necessity.

See the Greek version of this article at www.isalos.net