Talking It Out: Sharing Worries at Sea

Most seafarers who are struggling don't say so. The maritime culture — historically masculine, hierarchical, and closed — makes it genuinely difficult to admit difficulty. And yet the evidence is overwhelming: seafarers who ask for help recover. Seafarers who stay silent frequently don't.

This guide is written in plain language for anyone at sea who is struggling, and for the officers who are responsible for the crew around them.

Why Seafarers Stay Silent

The barriers to speaking up are real and understandable:

• "It'll affect my career." The fear that admitting mental health difficulties will lead to a medical downgrade, loss of certification, or a reputation as unreliable. In reality, the vast majority of seafarers who access support return to sea without career impact. The risk of not speaking — a crisis, an accident, or a breakdown at sea — is far greater.
• "The others will think less of me." On a small crew, everyone knows everyone's business. The fear of social judgement is real. But shipmates who have been through difficulty themselves — which includes most experienced crew — rarely judge. They usually respect it.
• "I should be able to handle this myself." Resilience is a genuine value in maritime. But resilience doesn't mean endurance. It means knowing when to use the resources available to you. Asking for help is part of resilience, not a failure of it.
• "There's no one to talk to." On a vessel of 20 people with a rigid hierarchy, the social options are limited. This is where external support resources become critical — because they exist outside the vessel, outside the hierarchy, and are confidential.

Who to Tell

A trusted shipmate

Sometimes the person you need is right there. An AB you've worked with for two contracts, a fellow officer who has shown human decency, a cook who everyone talks to. You don't need professional advice to start — you need to not be alone with it.

The ship's doctor or medic

On vessels that carry medical personnel, they operate under professional confidentiality. This is separate from the command structure.

SeafarerHelp

seafarerhelp.org — ISWAN's 24/7 helpline. Free. Available in multiple languages by phone, live chat, and email. They deal specifically with seafarers and understand the maritime context. They will not contact your employer without your permission. This is the most important resource on this list — call it if you are struggling, not only if you're in crisis.

Mission to Seafarers port chaplains

In port, Mission to Seafarers chaplains are available in over 200 ports worldwide. You don't have to be religious. They're there for a conversation, for practical help, and for connection when you need it.

Nautilus International

For officers, Nautilus International provides confidential welfare support and can help navigate any career-related concerns about accessing mental health support.

If Someone Else Is Struggling

The most useful thing you can do is start the conversation. You don't need to know what to say after "are you okay?" You just need to ask it genuinely and then listen.

Don't: offer advice immediately, minimise what they're feeling, or tell them it could be worse. Do: listen, acknowledge, ask what they need, and offer to help them access support if they want it.

If you believe someone is at immediate risk of harming themselves, tell the master. This is not a betrayal — it is what every welfare guideline, every IMO publication, and every experienced seafarer welfare worker will tell you to do. The person's life matters more than the awkwardness of the conversation.

The Duty of Care

Officers have a legal and professional duty of care to crew under their command. Under the ISM Code, the company and master are responsible for the health and safety of crew — which includes psychological health. This isn't a bureaucratic requirement. It is a recognition that when people are hundreds of miles from shore with no way to leave, someone in authority has to take responsibility for their wellbeing.