The Isle of Man Ship Registry (IOMSR) is stepping up its commitment to seafarer welfare by becoming a member of seafarer welfare charity the International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN).
A registered charity, ISWAN exists to improve the lives of seafarers and their families by providing services including welfare resources, relief funds, helplines and self-help guides. In 2022, it assisted more than 13,600 seafarers and their families of 94 nationalities and administered more than $450,000 in relief funds.
The IOMSR has pioneered seafarer welfare, highlighting the unique mental health challenges within the industry.
In 2021, it launched the welfare app ‘Crew Matters’ which went live to 8,000 crew members. The first such app to be launched by a flag state, it is available to those on more than 300 vessels under the Isle of Man flag, providing structured support for all. It features a live SOS function connecting to ISWAN’s specially trained team of counsellors and psychologists 24-hours-a-day seven-days-a-week.
IOMSR director Cameron Mitchell said the collaboration will further protect the interests of seafarers.
“The Isle of Man Ship Registry is delighted to have been accepted by the Board and Trustees of the International Seafarers’ Welfare & Assistance Network (ISWAN) as a member,” he said.
“The Ship Registry and I look forward to collaborating with ISWAN to protect and secure a just future for shipping’s most important asset, our seafarers.”
ISWAN added: “We are delighted to further our partnership with the Isle of Man Ship Registry, one of the world’s leading registers of ships and superyachts, by welcoming them to ISWAN’s growing network of members.”
Notes to editors
IOMSR BACKGROUND
The IOMSR is one of the world’s leading flag states and is ranked 18 in the world by Clarkson’s with around 300 merchant ships and 12.5m GT under its flag. The registry has previously held top spot on the Paris Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) Port State Control whitelist and is firmly on the whitelist in the Tokyo MoU rankings.
The registry is headquartered in Douglas on the Isle of Man, a self-governing British Crown dependency and is a Category One member of the Red Ensign group.
IOMSR was also recognised as one of the world’s top flag states by the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) in its respected annual Flag State Performance Table published at the beginning of February 2023.
The registry scored positively across all categories in the latest report. The ICS Performance Table collects data on flag states against specific criteria, including Port State Control (PSC) records, ratification of international conventions and International Maritime Organization (IMO) meeting attendance.
The table is intended to encourage shipowners to examine whether a flag state has sufficient substance before using it. It is further designed to create dialogue between shipowners and their flag on safety, the environment and seafarer working conditions.
Visit: www.iomshipregistry.com
ISWAN BACKGROUND
The International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN) is an international maritime charity which works to improve the lives of seafarers and their families with services, resources, strategies and advocacy.
Its vision is to ensure “better lives for all seafarers and their families”.
ISWAN works to drive change within the maritime industry for better health and wellbeing amongst seafarers, using data from our helplines to identify areas of need and inform new projects and research.