The newly formed Australian Welfare Seafarers Council, and member of ISWAN, has been holding a series of forums around the country.

Recently Western Australian seafarer welfare and industry forums were held with approximately 140 representatives from the shipping industry, unions, seafarer welfare providers and seafarers in Port Hedland (24 June 2014) and Fremantle (26-27 June 2014). The forums included discussion and updates on:

• the Maritime Labour Convention one year on,
• work of the Australian Seafarers' Welfare Council (ASWC),
• STCW amendments and changes to Marine Order 3 / Marine Order 70 series, and
• current ship inspection issues (MO34 – Solid Bulk Cargoes, MO32 – Cargo Handling Equipment, MO43 – Carriage of Livestockand MO41 - Carriage of dangerous goods).

AMSA has received excellent feedback on the forums to date, with responses identifying all topics presented of interest and considered valuable. Based on feedback forms received, the following were highlights for attendees:

• Awareness of seafarer welfare issues;
• Tremendous work of the seafarer welfare centres, with particular reference to the Port Hedland Seafarers Welfare Centre,
• Discussions on mental health awareness and issues specific for the maritime industry
• Fatigue analysis and management presentation,
• Updates on cargoes issues and STCW Seafarer Certification were of particular interest and attendees found it invaluable to have AMSA on hand to answer any questions or queries specific to WA concerns.

Copies of the presentations from the forums can be found on the ASWC website here.