In January, we launched a new helpline on behalf of Teekay Shipping Company Limited.

The new confidential helpline, called Employee Assistance, will offer emotional support to crew on board Teekay vessels. If a crew member is feeling low, lonely or worried, or needs to talk through a problem, the helpline is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to provide support and assistance. The helpline team is multilingual so seafarers can speak to someone in their preferred language.

Roger Harris, Executive Director of ISWAN, said: ‘We are pleased to be working with Teekay Shipping in providing this important service to their seafarers. This shows a strong commitment to the mental wellbeing of their crew by Teekay.’

A representative from Teekay said: ‘The health and wellness of our crew is critical to the safe and professional operations of our fleet. It does not stop when they disembark from the ship either. We want to support the Teekay team 24/7, 365 days a year, whether onboard or on leave.

‘Just as with our medical care support systems, offering emotional and mental health services is integral to our Operational Leadership mandate, and we look forward to leveraging the skills and support of ISWAN in this service.’

The helpline is provided by SWAN Ltd, the trading subsidiary of ISWAN.