Keeping seafarers' mental health shipshape

LONG working hours, isolation and extended periods away from home put seafarers at risk of poor mental health, according to new research by a team from the UK's Cardiff University.

The knee-jerk reaction is to say they have always worked long hours and trips are generally shorter than they used to be. And that is more or less true.

However a lot else has changed at sea and the study, funded by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), needs to be taken seriously. It urges cargo shipping companies to provide greater support for workers to help prevent conditions such as anxiety and depression. This includes the provision of on-board amenities such as Internet access, improved accommodation and recreational activities.