Hydroussa Navigation Ltd. Mental Health Policy

Hydroussa Navigation Ltd. is committed to promoting a positive and healthy work environment that supports the mental health and well-being of all employees.

Mental health refers to an individual's psychological and emotional well-being and encompasses a wide range of aspects of a person's life including thoughts, feelings, behaviors and relationships with others. Mental health is not a static state; but can rather change over time as is influenced by various factors. 

Good mental health means that an individual can cope with the normal stresses of life, work productively, form healthy relationships with others and make meaningful contributions to their community. On the other hand, poor mental health can lead to a range of issues, such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse, eating disorders, and other mental illnesses, which in turn have a detrimental effect in the safety of our people and the risk of our operation. 

It is vital that all employees onboard and ashore take care of their mental health just as they would their physical health, through self-care, seeking professional help when needed, and maintaining a supportive social network.

Hydroussa Navigation Ltd. recognizes that mental health is an important aspect of overall health and that creating a supportive workplace culture can benefit both employees and the organization as a whole;

and is committed to creating a safe and supportive environment where employees can seek help and support for mental health issues without fear of stigma or discrimination.

In this respect, the Company is committed to maintaining confidentiality and to respect the privacy of employees who seek help for mental health issues.

Hydroussa Navigation Ltd. Mental Health Policy – Annex I - Seafarers

To ensure high levels of mental health and to prevent mental health issues on board, the Company:

• Complies with all the provisions of Maritime Labor Convention as well as any other applicable laws and regulations covering the following aspects:
  • Conditions of employment
  • Accommodation, recreational facilities, food and catering
  • Communication
  • Social interaction
  • Health protection, medical care, welfare and social security protection
  • Training
• Applies responsible standards where laws and regulations do not exist.
• Values employees and respects their human rights, while at the same time provides a safe and sustainable environment aiming to identify timely and address mental illness and disorders.
• Seeks to identify, evaluate and communicate in a timely manner signs of mental health risks related to its operations that potentially affect its employees, contractors or the public [COVID19, diseases etc.].
• Communicates information regarding Mental Health & related risks; gained from relevant programs and studies to its workforce.
• Determines at the time of employment and thereafter, as appropriate, the mental health fitness of seafarers to do their work without undue risk to themselves or others.
• Undertakes appropriate reviews and evaluations of its operations to foster compliance with this Policy.
• Dedicates a person ashore to be the contact point for direct contact.
• Provides to Crew Members:
  • Shore-based training to Senior Officers on the onboard identification of a mental disorder and appropriate response.
  • Information aiming to increase awareness for the main categories of mental health and associated symptoms and encourages reporting and actions to address these.
  • Shore based 24/7 confidential communication through dedicated email through hydrmentalhealth@gmail.com to inform the assigned shore contact of the situation and examine the need for further support.
  • Free communication with external expertise through a 24/7 helpline for seafarers.
  • Medical services necessary for the treatment of employee mental health related issues and for the handling of emergencies, and accommodates as appropriate.
• Implements training and support programs through recognized industry expertise [SAILOR SOCIETY, ICS] programs aiming to receive updates relevant to Seafarers requests and needs in order to take appropriate protective measures to control risks, including appropriate monitoring of its potentially affected employees.
• Implements and adopts wellness programs and tools on board periodically to promote further growth towards the mental health.
• Conducts periodical surveys to obtain and evaluate feedback that can help raise awareness on when one should seek professional support that is available on board and on how to identify depression or anxiety signals.