A maritime P&I (protection and indemnity) correspondent is giving seafarers on ships entering Nordic ports access to professional mental health practitioners, to support their wellbeing as they deal with the impact of Covid-19 and the crew change crisis.

Nordic P&I Group and Mental Health Support Solutions (MHSS) have teamed up to provide psychological help to crew members, and in some cases their relatives, that are struggling mentally.

The service is available to seafarers who, through their employer, are covered by P&I insurance when docking at ports in Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands. Mariners can access it through MHSS, which provides 24/7 professional mental health support to the shipping sector.

“The global pandemic has raised the issue of seafarer welfare and how working at sea can be a harsh and lonely experience,” said Captain Björn Brödje, Director of Nordic P&I Group. The former ship captain added that working longer contracts in a pandemic amid the crew change crisis and concern about loved ones at home possibly contracting Covid-19 were making mariners more anxious.

“If one crew member has coronavirus, they and all their colleagues can be quarantined, causing stress for everyone involved,” he said. “That’s why it’s so important to have a company like MHSS providing professional psychological support for people at sea.”

Christian Ayerst, CEO of MHSS, added: “Now more than ever, seafarers need mental health support to help them through one of the most challenging periods for businesses, markets and societies around the world.

“Teaming up with Nordic P&I Group is a big deal for us, as it means we can help even more crew members who may be suffering psychologically at a time when global demand for their services has never been greater.”

Being hospitalised in a foreign country far from home is often stressful for a seafarer and their relatives, according to Captain Brödje. However, partnering with MHSS means that Nordic P&I Group correspondents are now better equipped to help P&I clubs and their members, by giving them access to professional psychologists.

“Since the outbreak of the pandemic, we have had several cases in the Nordics where seafarers with Covid-19 have been hospitalised long-term or even died,” Captain Brödje said. “Such situations often cause great stress for both mariners and their families, which can be professionally managed by MHSS.”

Another benefit of the partnership is having MHSS clinical psychologists who, between them, speak more than 16 languages.

“They can talk to the seafarer or their family members in their native language when supporting them in moments of distress,” Captain Brödje said. “Having a clinical psychologist who speaks their language makes a huge difference.”