The ITF Seafarers’ Trust and the World Maritime University (WMU) have announced a new seafarer welfare training programme designed to equip maritime professionals with key skills and knowledge to support the welfare of seafarers.
Approved in honour of the Day of the Seafarer on June 25, which this year focused on ‘Seafarers’ wellbeing’, the ITF Seafarers’ Trust and WMU partnership formed the Welfare (MARI-WEL) Professional Development Programme as the first course of its kind to deliver a comprehensive overview of the topics and issues that relate to seafarer welfare.
MARI-WEL will be delivered as a distance learning course via an innovative online portal consisting of a series of videos, lectures, and activities – enabling participants to follow the programme from anywhere in the world.
Covering three separate modules, the programme provides participants with flexibility to follow the course at their own speed, and offline if need be.
Read a Port Technology technical paper by the World Maritime University on simulations for ship handling training
Commenting on the launch of MARI-WEL, Dave Heindel, Chair of the ITF Seafarers’ Trust, said: “Seafarers’ welfare is a critical issue for every organization in the shipping industry and should be treated as an essential element of the professional training and development for anyone who works with seafarers.
“The purpose of MARI-WEL is to set a new professional standard that will increase the level of awareness of welfare issues across the industry.
“We are delighted to partner with such an esteemed organization as the World Maritime University on the design of the programme.
“We anticipate that MARI-WEL will become the gold standard for maritime welfare training and encourage every shipping professional that works with seafarers to look at how the comprehensive programme can benefit them and their organization.”
Dr. Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, President of WMU, stated: “MARI-WEL is the first programme of its kind to take such a comprehensive look at seafarers’ welfare.
“It is an important step in supporting the work of the IMO, the International Labour Organization, the ITF Seafarers’ Trust and all other stakeholders focused on the welfare of seafarers.
“The World Maritime University has a reputation for delivering high-quality distance learning programmes, and we are pleased to join with our long-standing partners, the ITF Seafarers’ Trust, on the ground-breaking MARI-WEL programme that will have a positive impact on the well-being of seafarers worldwide.”
