OneCare Group has urged the shipping industry to place seafarers' lived experience at the heart of mental health provision, saying the voices of those who work at sea are essential if measures are to protect wellbeing effectively. The appeal was reported on 8 October 2026 in the run-up to World Mental Health Day.
The group told the trade press that listening to seafarers is not optional if providers of welfare and employers want interventions that actually work in the maritime environment. It argued that policies and services designed without those first‑hand perspectives risk being poorly targeted and of limited benefit.
Seafarers' experiences at the centre
OneCare emphasised that everyday experiences on board shape how people respond to and access mental health support, and that those experiences must inform the design of services. Putting seafarers' accounts at the centre of planning should change how support is delivered, the organisation said, by aligning resources with real needs rather than assumptions.
The organisation highlighted practical barriers that can prevent seafarers from seeking help, and stressed that cultural factors aboard ships influence whether welfare initiatives succeed. Addressing stigma, improving routes to confidential advice, and ensuring accessibility were described as core to building trusting support networks.
Ahead of World Mental Health Day
The warning was issued ahead of World Mental Health Day, which falls on 10 October, and this year carries the theme "Lived experiences heard: real voices, real ...". OneCare made its remarks specifically in the context of that international awareness day, urging the sector to reflect on what listening to seafarers would mean in practice.
The group called on shipowners, managers, classification societies, unions and welfare agencies to involve seafarers directly when shaping programmes and training. It said that change will require co‑ordination across employers and service providers, and a readiness to adapt established approaches when they do not meet crew needs.
OneCare's intervention reframes mental health provision as an operational and human concern that depends on accurate understanding of life at sea. As the industry marks the awareness day, the organisation's message is a reminder that effective support depends on the people it is intended to serve.
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