Seafarers have withstood hard times undergoing quarantines, travel restrictions and complex Covid-19 vaccination and testing requirements to keep stretched supply chains moving during the pandemic. But many are now reaching their breaking point, posing yet another threat to the badly tangled network of ports, container vessels and trucking companies that move goods around the world.
Over 400,000 merchant mariners across the world are feeling stressed in the recent supply chain disruptions, as they are unable to take time off and go home. The seafarer fatigue remains a problem as it is heading into the second holiday season of the pandemic. It is not just the seafarers who are feeling the heat even their bosses worry about mental health as the work swings between frenzied activity and more idle time.
According to a report disclosed by Seaexplorer.com and Kuehne+Nagel International AG currently, as many as over 665 container ships were anchored and waiting to enter ports. The number is roughly about 10 per cent of the total currently in service globally. Some of the ships won’t move for a week or more.
In fact, the ships sitting outside the Los Angeles in the US are waiting for an average of more than 12 days at anchor before they can pull into port. It is almost the same amount of time taken to cross the Pacific from Asia. There’s rarely a shortage of work to do, but such interruptions are compelling captains to find ways to maintain spirits for those restricted at sea.
In a recent interview, a seafarer who works for Germany-based Hapag-Lloyd AG, said that in order to boost the morale, off-duty crew members like to play basketball, video games and ping pong, or use the pool and gyms available on many larger vessels. Some of them take to the guitar or drums, forming bands with colleagues on board and others prefer another form of musical escape: karaoke.
Generally, the ocean-going container carriers take at least 21 crew members and officers. When they’re at sea, the crew does routine chores like keeping equipment maintained, cargo secure and decks tidy, while officers rotate on eight-hour watches monitoring instruments and radio traffic.
But for everyone aboard, the much eventful days are those consumed in port, as containers are moved on and off the ship, paperwork is processed, supplies need restocking and more extensive mechanical fixes are carried out.
The crews sitting at anchorage is something in between – neither underway nor in port. The crews are often close enough to shore to access local phone networks need to communicate with family and friends, but not close enough to get deliveries from land simply or inexpensively. Shore leave has been restricted because of Covid-19 travel limitations.
Regular maintenance still has to be done and deck watches staffed, but there are ways to unwind off the clock while waiting to enter a port. According to the seafarers they pep up each other with some nice live bands from time to time, they keep the crew happy with some barbecues, some team events like watching movies together, or playing some sports. The catering team on-board the ocean carriers generally can adjust menus to suit the different tastes of the crew – with the menu ranging from Asian- to European-style food. The crew after a long day of watch will be able to kick back with a cold, frothy beverage. But of course, they must always be ready for emergencies so there cannot be any excessive stuff.
