North P&I Club Partners with ISWAN to Launch New Confidential Helpline for Crew

North P&I Club has launched its new ‘Mind Matters’ campaign today, including a confidential helpline for crew provided in partnership with the International Seafarer’s Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN).

The new campaign aims to raise awareness of mental health and wellbeing at sea. It provides North P&I Club’s members and their crew with a number of resources and support materials to support their emotional wellbeing at sea and to provide guidance on where to access additional help if needed.

The resources include a new confidential helpline, Mind Call, provided in partnership with ISWAN, Mind Call is available to crew on board North entered vessels and is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The Mind Call team speaks a number of languages, making the experience as comfortable as possible for seafarers. Seafarers can also access the helpline through email and live chat through www.mindcall.org.

North P&I Club’s Mind Matters campaign was developed in response to the increased number of mental health related incidents on board entered vessels, which has become more noticeable over the past few years. The impact of mental health and emotional wellbeing can impact on the crew member and their colleagues, with the knock-on effects leading to poor job performance and a potentially dangerous working environment.

Belinda Ward, head of North’s Personal Injury team commented: ‘We have recognised that the mental health and emotional wellbeing of seafarers is just as important as their physical wellbeing. Life at sea can be stressful and the nature of the job demands long periods away from family and friends. Our main priority is to provide immediate support for seafarers.’

Roger Harris, Executive Director of ISWAN, said: ‘We are delighted to be working with North P&I Club by providing their Mind Call service through our trading subsidiary, SWAN Ltd. It’s a great initiative that will provide support to seafarers who maybe having difficulties with their mental wellbeing while at sea and also ashore.’

The Mind Matters resources are available for seafarers at www.mymindmatters.club.

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For further information contact: Kim Rogerson on +44 191 232 5221 / kim.rogerson@nepia.com, or Nick Arthur on +44 1865 514214 / nick.arthur@blue-comms.com

Notes to Editors:

My Mind Matters website: a resource directly for ship’s crew – providing information and resources for the emotional welfare of seafarers. The site looks at the common causes of mental health problems, how to keep well at sea and provides information on where to find additional help and resources.  Please visit: www.mymindmatters.club

Mind Call Helpline: Through ISWAN, North has funded a confidential and dedicated emotional support helpline for seafarers on North entered vessels.  The Helpline is available 24/7, 365 days a year.  The Mind Call team speaks: Arabic, Chinese, French, Hindi, Russian, Spanish and Tagalog as well as English and crew can request a call back, use live chat or send an email instead. Please visit: www.mindcall.org

North P&I Club

North P&I Club is a leading global marine insurer providing P&I, FD&D, war risks and ancillary insurance to 195 million GT of owned and chartered tonnage. Through its guaranteed subsidiary Sunderland Marine, North is also a leading insurer of fishing vessels, small craft and aquaculture risks. The Standard and Poor’s ‘A’ rated Club is based in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK with regional offices and subsidiaries in China (Hong Kong and Shanghai), Greece, Japan, Singapore, USA and Sunderland Marine offices worldwide. North is a leading member of the International Group of P&I Clubs (IG), with over 12% of the IG’s owned tonnage. The 13 IG clubs provide liability cover for approximately 90% of the world’s ocean-going tonnage and, as a member of the IG, North protects and promotes the interests of the international shipping industry. For further information, visit: www.nepia.com

International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN)

The International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN) is a charity and membership organisation which works to promote and support the welfare of seafarers all over the world. The free, 24-hour, multilingual helpline, SeafarerHelp, is one of the direct welfare services that ISWAN provides to seafarers. Others include relief funds for seafarers and their family members in need and a range of health information resources. ISWAN works with companies, unions, governments, welfare organisations and ports for the implementation of the ILO Maritime Labour Convention, 2006. ISWAN supports those who establish and provide welfare facilities and services in port and on ships. ISWAN is funded by membership subscriptions, grants from foundations, sponsorship and earned income. For further information, visit: www.seafarerswelfare.org

 
Belinda Ward