MARINE insurer UK P&I Club, in collaboration with the Greek Innovative Maritime Emotional Intelligence Centre (IMEQ) have held discussions on the issue of seafarers' grief and its impact on ships' crew.
UK Club crew health director Sophia Bullard said the two organisations were exploring the stages, signs and symptoms of grief as well as coping mechanisms.
'Loss is an inevitable, fundamental truth of life and grief is the emotional suffering we experience when we lose someone or something valuable to us,' said Ms Bullard.
'For seafarers, loss and the subsequent grief can be compounded by a sense of isolation, physical distance and impracticalities of a life at sea. That's why it's so important for crew to recognise these emotions when they occur, helping themselves and others to cope through their journey of healing,' she said.
'Death is not the only loss we encounter in life: divorce, break ups, illness, a miscarriage, the loss of a job, or even letting go of our dreams and hopes may evoke powerful feelings of grief,' she said.
'The loss of normalcy, social connections and safety we are currently experiencing because of the pandemic has taken an emotional toll on all of us, and in many ways, we are all grieving and in need of healing. For those at sea, this can be even more challenging as they are away from home, away from their loved ones and with limited resources to deal with their grief,' she said.
The UK P&I Club is a leading provider of P&I insurance and other services to the international shipping community. Established in 1869 the UK P&I Club insures over 244 million tonnes of owned and chartered shipping through its international offices and claims network.
SeaNews Turkey
UK Club crew health director Sophia Bullard said the two organisations were exploring the stages, signs and symptoms of grief as well as coping mechanisms.
'Loss is an inevitable, fundamental truth of life and grief is the emotional suffering we experience when we lose someone or something valuable to us,' said Ms Bullard.
'For seafarers, loss and the subsequent grief can be compounded by a sense of isolation, physical distance and impracticalities of a life at sea. That's why it's so important for crew to recognise these emotions when they occur, helping themselves and others to cope through their journey of healing,' she said.
'Death is not the only loss we encounter in life: divorce, break ups, illness, a miscarriage, the loss of a job, or even letting go of our dreams and hopes may evoke powerful feelings of grief,' she said.
'The loss of normalcy, social connections and safety we are currently experiencing because of the pandemic has taken an emotional toll on all of us, and in many ways, we are all grieving and in need of healing. For those at sea, this can be even more challenging as they are away from home, away from their loved ones and with limited resources to deal with their grief,' she said.
The UK P&I Club is a leading provider of P&I insurance and other services to the international shipping community. Established in 1869 the UK P&I Club insures over 244 million tonnes of owned and chartered shipping through its international offices and claims network.
SeaNews Turkey