New seafarer wellbeing tool keeps results hidden from employers

New seafarer wellbeing tool keeps results hidden from employers
November 4, 2026 https://splash247.com/new-seafarer-wellbeing-tool-keeps-results-hidden-f...

MarinePALS has launched a confidential mental wellbeing self-check for seafarers that keeps individual responses and results out of the hands of shipmanagers and employers.

The new MyMood tool has been added to the company’s digital learning platform amid continuing concerns that seafarers can be reluctant to disclose mental health problems because of fears over future contracts and employment.

Users answer a short series of questions about how they are feeling, producing a colour-coded result indicating whether further support could be useful. MarinePALS said neither the answers nor the individual result are made available to the seafarer’s employer.

The questions are based on an established psychological assessment covering depression, anxiety and stress.

Where the results indicate that additional help may be appropriate, users are directed towards the International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network’s SeafarerHelp service.

SeafarerHelp provides free, confidential and multilingual assistance to seafarers and their families around the clock.

Pradeep Chawla, chief executive of MarinePALS, said concerns about what happens to personal information can stop crew from seeking support.

“A seafarer may know they are not feeling right but still be reluctant to tell anyone,” Chawla said. He added that worries over a future contract or uncertainty about how to explain a problem should not prevent someone from getting help.

The launch comes amid a broader industry debate over confidentiality surrounding seafarer health.

Earlier this year, medical specialists highlighted the lack of privacy available to crew seeking healthcare onboard, with many seafarers still required to raise medical concerns through masters or senior officers before reaching a healthcare professional. The concern is that the absence of a confidential route can discourage people from reporting problems early.

MarinePALS stressed that MyMood is a self-check rather than a diagnostic or emergency service and is not intended to replace professional care.