The U.S. Committee on the Marine Transportation System (CMTS) COVID-19 Working Group (C-19 WG) is hosting a webinar on Nov. 22, from 2 – 3:30 p.m., EST to present the results of the  Mariner Mental Health Needs during COVID-19 survey. This is a public webinar and all interested parties are welcome to attend.

The Mariner Mental Health Needs during Covid-19 study was conducted independently by Dr. Marissa Baker, Assistant Professor and Industrial Hygiene Program Director at the University of Washington School of Public Health. The survey asked mariners a variety of questions about COVID-19, mental health, and their experiences and feelings when aboard a vessel during the challenges of this worldwide pandemic. The survey enrolled participants from January 22 through May 31, 2021 and collected information in a confidential manner. No mariner identification data was collected.

The Mariner Mental Health Needs during COVID-19 study was supported by the Centers for Disease Prevention & Control (CDC), and the COVID-19 Working Group (C-19 WG) of the federal interagency U.S. Committee on the Marine Transportation System (CMTS). The C-19 WG serves as the CMTS forum for facilitating high-level interagency discussion, communication, and actions in support of the MTS under and after COVID-19.  The Ship Operations Cooperative Program (SOCP) – whose members include vessel owners/operators, mariner unions, maritime academies, maritime training institutions, classification societies, other maritime industry stakeholders and government agencies –also supported this project to enhance the mental well-being of U.S. mariners.

To join the webinar on November 22 from 2 – 3:30 p.m., EST:
Go to the following link: https://usdotfedramp.webex.com/meet/helen.brohl
Please log-in at the above link 30 minutes in advance to download any plug-ins and
test your system’s compatibility with Webex.

Or 

Call in:  Teleconference Number: 844-800-2712; Access Code: 199 311 8169#

For more information, please go to www.CMTS.gov.  Please direct questions to C19WG@cmts.gov.

Additional Resources:  The C-19 WG has published the following resources for mariners and the U.S. Marine Transportation System:

• CMTS COVID-19 Working Group Nov 18, 2020 Webinar: COVID-19 Testing Strategies for U.S. Merchant  Mariners – Slides 
• Catalog of COVID-19 Federal Guidance and References for the U.S. Maritime Industry
• Catalog of COVID-19 Best Management Practices for the U.S. Maritime Industry
• Catalog of Mental Health Resources for U.S. Merchant Mariners and Critical Workforce in the Marine  Transportation System

This blog is not a replacement or substitute for the formal posting of regulations and updates or existing processes for receiving formal feedback of the same. Links provided on this blog will direct the reader to official publications, such as the Federal Register, Homeport and the Code of Federal Regulations. These publications remain the official source for regulatory information published by the Coast Guard.