Survey Launched on Crew’s Welfare Needs

Superyacht crew go to great lengths to ensure that guests have everything they need. However, not much is known about the welfare of crew and what improvements can be made to better meet their needs. That is why the International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN) is partnering with MHG Insurance Brokers to launch a survey of people who work on superyachts to investigate welfare issues specific to the industry. All the responses are anonymous, and not all questions need to be answered.

Questions will be asked on food, cabins, and communications, and the health and well-being of those working on board. The survey was designed to “highlight areas of welfare needs among seafarers on superyachts, see what is working well under current conditions to meet their welfare needs and what needs improvement, and explore how existing seafarers’ welfare structures may meet these needs and where there is scope for new provision,” according to the ISWAN press release.

“Maritime welfare organizations are used to dealing with seafarers on cargo and cruise ships. The number of seafarers in the yacht sector has grown to around 35,000, and we need to know more about the challenges which are specific to the superyacht sector,” ISWAN executive director Roger Harris says. “As seafarers on superyachts are covered by the provisions of the ILO Maritime Labour Convention their welfare needs – at sea and ashore – should be better known and provided for.”

Andrew Wright, secretary general of the Mission to Seafarers, which are assisting with survey distribution, says, “Yacht crew do an amazing job, catering to a small but very influential clientele, providing a phenomenal level of professionalism and service. For most crew this is a satisfying and wonderful job, but we need to see where improvements can be made.”

For superyacht crew who wish to answer the survey, you can find it at www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/yachtcrew, and the results will be published on the ISWAN website, www.seafarerswelfare.org, in December 2018.