Sponsored places will give maritime professionals in West Africa access to face-to-face leadership and wellbeing training

The Nautical Institute will deliver two in-person professional development workshops in Accra, Ghana this November, with sponsored places available through support from The Seafarers’ Charity.

The workshops form part of a wider programme designed to strengthen leadership capability, improve mental health awareness and promote safer, more inclusive working cultures across the global maritime sector.

The Leadership and Professional Behaviours Workshop will take place on 16 November, followed by the Mental Health and Wellbeing Workshop on 17 November.

The initiative responds to continuing challenges around leadership, communication, psychological safety and access to professional development within maritime workplaces. While international training standards provide an essential baseline for leadership and management competence, The Nautical Institute believes there is a continuing need to address the practical human and cultural challenges experienced by people working at sea and ashore.

These can include poor communication, excessive hierarchy, unmanaged stress, limited inclusivity and working environments in which people may not always feel confident speaking up or asking for support.

The Accra workshops will tackle leadership and wellbeing together, recognising the close relationship between the way people are managed and the safety, motivation and resilience of maritime teams.

Somiyeh Djavanroodi, Head of The Nautical Institute Academy, said: “ As the maritime industry continues to evolve, the importance of effective leadership and positive workplace cultures has never been greater. Technical competence will always be fundamental, but organisations also need leaders who communicate effectively, foster psychological safety and support the wellbeing of their teams.

“Through these workshops, The Nautical Institute is bringing together maritime professionals from across the industry to develop the behaviours, skills and confidence that contribute to safer, healthier and more resilient workplaces.”

The workshops are open to participants from across the maritime industry, including seafarers, ship managers, engineers, regulators and policymakers. By bringing together professionals with different operational and regulatory perspectives, The Nautical Institute aims to encourage discussion around what effective maritime leadership looks like in practice and help establish a shared baseline for good leadership behaviours.

The Leadership and Professional Behaviours Workshop will focus on practical leadership effectiveness, professional conduct, communication, inclusivity, motivation and decision-making.

The Mental Health and Wellbeing Workshop will help participants develop greater awareness of mental health challenges, recognise signs of stress and deterioration, understand appropriate support pathways and build greater confidence in supporting colleagues.

Both workshops will use interactive and scenario-based learning, with face-to-face delivery designed to encourage discussion, peer learning and the practical application of skills to real maritime working environments.

The Ghana workshops form part of a programme of six in-person workshops being delivered by The Nautical Institute in collaboration with The Seafarers’ Charity. Each location will receive paired leadership and mental health sessions, reflecting the importance of addressing professional competence and wellbeing together.

The programme aims to improve leadership behaviours and communication onboard and ashore, increase confidence in addressing mental health concerns, strengthen inclusive team cultures and equip maritime professionals with practical tools to manage stress, conflict and challenging workplace situations.

Sponsored places remain available for both workshops with the support of The Seafarers’ Charity. The workshops are open to maritime professionals from across the industry, and applications are encouraged from those working at sea and ashore, including seafarers, ship managers, engineers, regulators and policymakers.

The Leadership and Professional Behaviours Workshop will take place in Accra on 16 November, followed by the Mental Health and Wellbeing Workshop on 17 November.