Doing The Right Thing: Securing The Financial Wellbeing Of Our Seafarers
The maritime industry has long been criticised for its treatment of seafarers – from low wages and long hours to poor working conditions and little rest. In recent years, however, there has been a growing awareness of the need to improve seafarers’ welfare, and Bibby Marine is at the forefront of this change. This is not only the right thing to do, but it is also essential to the sustainability of our industry.
In 2020, we performed a comprehensive salary benchmarking review and consultation with our seafarers to ensure that they were being paid fairly regardless of their role, vessel location or nationality. As a result of this review, we harmonised our seafarer salaries across the board and increased the wages of our Deck and Engine Ratings to the UK Living Wage.
Bibby Marine CEO Nigel Quinn explains: “At Bibby Marine, we recognise that our seafarers are the backbone of our business and we are committed to doing right by them. We believe that by paying our seafarers a fair wage, we are not only securing their financial wellbeing but also contributing to a more sustainable maritime industry.”
Our supply chain partners joined us in this commitment, and we are now proud to say that all of the seafarers aboard our Wavemaster fleet are paid fairly for the work that they do. This is something that we’re extremely proud of, and we believe it sets us apart from other vessel operators.
Financial wellbeing is just one aspect of seafarers’ welfare, and we are continuously working to improve other aspects of our seafarers’ lives, including their working conditions, mental health and wellbeing, and career development.
Nigel continues: “Our fair pay promise is just one way we are supporting our seafarers. We are also striving to provide our seafarers with the best possible working conditions and support their physical and mental wellbeing. We understand the challenges our seafarers face and are dedicated to doing everything we can to support them.”
Our partnership with the Sailors’ Society is just one example of how we are supporting our seafarers’ mental health and wellbeing. Our ‘Wellness at Sea’ programme provides tools to help combat fatigue, poor mental health, stress and other issues that affect mariners in their daily lives. In 2021, the campaign was extended to shore staff and the families of seafarers.
The outcome of our combined efforts has been remarkable. Not only have we seen a significant improvement in seafarer welfare, but an increase in morale and motivation, improved retention rates, and overall a more engaged and productive workforce.
Nigel concludes: “We know that there is still more to be done to improve seafarer welfare, but we are committed to doing our part to make positive change.”
To learn more about our commitment to seafarer welfare, get in touch with our team.
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