MEMBER ALERT Shipowners Claims Bureau, Inc., Manager One Battery Park Plaza 31 st Fl., New York, NY 10004 USA Tel: +1 212 847 4500 Fax: +1 212 847 4599 https://www.american-club.com American Club Member Alert – April 26 , 20 2 1 1 APRIL 26, 2021 BAHAMAS MARITIME AUTHORITY (BMA) INITIATIVE ON SEAFARER MENTAL WELLBEING Your Managers have recently become aware of an initiative by the Bahamas Maritime Authority (BMA), in which Members may have an interest in participating. It is described in further detail below. The COVID-19 pandemic has had an enormous impact on the mental health and wellbeing of seafarers. Over the course of the last twelve months, the BMA has been assisting seafarers around the world and has observed the myriad ways in which the pandemic has affected seafarers. In most cases the emotional, physical and mental stresses have been both evident and ubiquitous. In consequence of these observations, the BMA has recently initiated a survey, the Seafarer COVID-19 Welfare Survey, designed to capture and reflect the mental health needs of seafarers around the world during the coronavirus pandemic. This initiative, in collaboration with researchers at the University of Washington School of Public Health, manifests itself as a short, confidential online survey. The aim of the survey is to accurately collect information from front-line seafarers (who will remain anonymous throughout), specifically focusing on their mental health needs before and during the pandemic. The data collected will be analysed and used to understand the challenges seafarers have experienced in order to develop effective solutions that raise awareness and guide international efforts to improve the livelihoods of those who choose to serve at sea. The electronic survey itself is straightforward and takes about ten minutes to complete. All results will be kept confidential at the University of Washington and respondents have the option not to answer any question with which they are uncomfortable. In addition to the American Club, the BMA has approached a number of other key industry bodies to maximize the uptake and to support and raise awareness of the initiative, giving as many seafarers as possible the opportunity to participate and contribute towards this endeavour. Your Managers believe that Members may have an interest in disseminating the survey to their seafarers and manning agents alike, and suggesting that they may wish to complete the survey, regardless of whether Members’ vessels are Bahamian-flagged.