|PIC1|As the credit crunch bites, chaplains of the international maritime welfare agency are helping more seafarers who face increased isolation and anxiety as they look towards uncertain futures on laid up ships far from home.
"Crews working on laid-up ships suffer acute isolation, low morale and anxiety about their jobs – all of which pose a special set of challenges for Mission chaplains as they draw on all of their pastoral experiences to help guide seafarers through this tough time," said the Mission's director of justice and welfare, the Rev Canon Ken Peters.
Canon Peters says that the shipping industry is uniquely vulnerable to economic currents because of its globalised nature and that in these difficult times, the support of The Mission to Seafarers will be in even greater demand.
The message of concern comes on the back of preliminary figures which show over 230,000 seafarers visited Mission centres in 2008 and that 294 welfare cases, involving nearly 1,000 seafarers, were brought to the Mission's attention for action.
"Because seafarers' wages are the only substantial non-fixed cost for shipowners, there may be an increased downward pressure on wages," says Canon Peters.
"We may also see voyage times lengthened as ships engage in 'slow steaming' to decrease costs. As an international organisation, The Mission to Seafarers is ideally placed to work with shipowners, managers and policy makers to try and ensure that a seafarer's wellbeing is protected during the downturn.
"I would also hope that if the Maritime Labour Convention comes into force in 2011 as planned, this will act as an added safeguard and buffer against exploitation of seafarers in adverse economic conditions."