by Marigold Langley

The coronavirus pandemic has seen widespread international restrictions, including travel bans and port closures that forced the crew to stay longer at sea - some working many months beyond their contracts.

In addition to missing family and friends, some needed medical advice and access to emails for personal transactions. And, of course, they wanted to stay up-to-date with the latest news from shore.

We now see these same requirements for crew whom the war in Ukraine has impacted, which has particularly affected seafarers from key Baltic and Eastern European crew supply countries.

Crew welfare has taken centre stage in the maritime industry in recent years - and digital communications are playing a crucial role in supporting the health and well-being of seafarers across the globe.

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