ISWAN Seminar to Highlight Importance of Social Interaction for Welfarers’ Wellbeing

Representatives from the global maritime community are invited to the International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network’s (ISWAN) 2022 Seminar in Rotterdam this November.

The event, sponsored by Bahri, will be held on board the SS Rotterdam on 16th November and themed The Importance of Social Interaction for Seafarers’ Wellbeing.

In June 2022, ISWAN published its Social Interaction Matters (SIM) Project phase two report, recommendations and guidance. The project was launched in April 2020 to help maritime stakeholders improve social interaction on board their vessels to boost crew wellbeing. Between November 2020 and September 2021, with the pervasive backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, ISWAN conducted research into the impacts, barriers and drivers of social interaction in the form of live trials on board several vessels. The 2022 Seminar will highlight learnings from this important research and investigating how to further develop and effectively implement the project’s guidance and recommendations for the future – in ways that are inclusive for other areas of the maritime sector, including cruise ships and superyachts.

ISWAN’s last in-person annual seminar took place in Mumbai in 2019 and focused on how those in the maritime industry could work together for seafarers’ mental wellbeing. Three years on, the 2022 Seminar will take a penetrating look at what the sector has learned since then and what issues seafarers are facing now.

The seminar is free to attend and offers valuable opportunities for networking, but those unable to attend in person have the opportunity to view the event online instead.

Delegates should register to attend (in person or online) here.

ISWAN’s 2022 Seminar is sponsored by gold sponsor Bahri, silver sponsors the UK Merchant Navy Welfare Board and Nautilus International, and bronze sponsor Scorpio Group. If you are interested in becoming an event sponsor, please contact ISWAN’s Projects and Relationships Manager Georgia Allen here. Information about the benefits of sponsoring this event can be found here.

ISWAN’s annual general meeting (AGM) will be held for ISWAN members the previous day on 15th November. More information about both events can be found here.

Image credit: Fred Libochant