Red Sea incidents prompt renewed focus on duty of care for crews

Recent attacks in the Red Sea have prompted renewed calls for stronger leadership and greater care for the mental wellbeing of seafarers.

Following the latest attacks this year which have resulted in the  tragic deaths of crew members, mental health organisations are urging the maritime industry to address the psychological risks faced by crews operating in high-threat regions.

Marinos Kokkinis, Managing Director of OneCare Group, said the incident has laid bare the imbalance between operational planning and human welfare. “Seafarers are not combatants. They are civilians performing a vital professional role and should never be expected to operate under the kind of extreme threat typically associated with armed conflict.  We need to ensure that the human cost is at the forefront of operators’ minds, rather than an afterthought when it comes to these serious safety risks.“

While regulations in some regions now require informed consent and armed protection for transiting high-risk zones, mental health professionals argue that compliance alone is not enough. Charles Watkins, Founder of Mental Health Support Solutions, member of OneCare Gorup, and a practising clinical psychologist, said, “No one boards a vessel expecting to be caught in hostile engagement. We speak to seafarers who are anxious and often unaware of the risks they are sailing toward. That lack of preparation is a breach of duty of care.”

He added that a shift is needed towards a human-centred approach that includes psychological readiness, clear communication and proper debriefing after traumatic events. “Reactive policies are no longer enough. These transits must be planned with seafarers’ mental resilience in mind,” he said. “As a policy we should not be putting our seafarers at risk and travelling through war zone areas, without prior discussion and detailed risk assessments being carried out.”

Gisa Paredes, Managing Director at WellAtSea, part of OneCare Group, added: “Consent is more than a signature. It means understanding the true scope of the voyage, including the emotional toll. We must ensure that seafarers are supported not only during these missions but afterwards as well.”

OneCare Group is calling shipowners, managers and crewing agencies to integrate mental health into voyage planning from the outset. The devastating human toll from the most recent attack serve as a stark reminder that when crews are deployed into high-risk areas, their psychological welfare must be planned for as seriously as their physical protection.

Mr. Watkins said: “Until the industry embeds mental health into operational decision-making, we risk compounding trauma and failing our crews. We have a duty to treat our crew not just as assets, but as people.”

OneCare Group stands ready to support the industry by providing guidance, training and psychological resources for those navigating dangerous waters. It emphasises that safeguarding the mental wellbeing of seafarers is not only a moral responsibility, but essential to safety, resilience and long-term sustainability in global shipping.

Find out more here:  OneCare Group - Connecting Seafarers to Health & Wellbeing Experts