The Kolkata Chapter of CMMI held its Lecture Meeting on the evening of Friday, 26 August 2022, at the Princeton Club, wherein matters contemporary and vital were brought forth.

In his opening speech, the Chairman of the Chapter, Capt. Kaustuv Dutta, welcomed the members present. He spoke on the ‘Women’s role in curbing corruption in Shipping’.

Over the last few decades the world has witnessed an exponential increase in corruption in the shipping industry. Capt. Dutta analyzed various angles of women’s role in restricting such corruption. He said a considerable number of studies have emerged that describe the gender-based behavioral differences between men and women. For example, men may be more self-centred than women, and may care less for collective gain and more for individual advantage.

Research scholars have concluded that greater participation by women at high ranks in shipping can significantly reduce the corruption in the lower levels of the organization, and this is manifested in a cross-section of countries. This is because women have more helpful leanings than men, and are less likely to sacrifice the common interest for their personal gain. This ideology can lead to robust anti-corruption initiatives in shipping institutions across the globe.

Next was the lecture on ‘Susceptibility to various mental disorders among Seafarers’. Capt. Dr. Deb Narayan Goswami, a Fellow CMMI member spoke on this topic.

He said that Seafarers are particularly subject to the vulnerability of mental health issues. Away from home, family, friends, peculiar long working hours without break, and the uncertainty of returning home often cause severe fatigue, and the absence of family’s physical presence can have a severe psychological impact on their minds. They are exposed to various such stressors in the workplace.

Furthermore, numerous Academic & Business studies have reported on board the hazardous work conditions, and the physical and mental health of seafarers and confirm this fact, some of which eventually cause deaths or high-level addiction due to clandestine substance use during tenures on board.

In the past, P&I Insurance Companies, like Steamship Mutual received various claim notifications of accidents and suicides. Steamship Mutual has stated: “There are many causes of these events, including family issues and bullying by companies and other seafarers. Whilst we are all encouraged to talk about mental health, it seems that it is still an un-mentionable subject in the upper echelons of the shipping industry. Consequently, the seafarers are missing out on vital support and treatment at the early stages of their illnesses.”

BMC Psychology published an article in May 2022 and expressed a similar line of thought as Steamship Mutual and identified 28 socio- demographic and personal characteristics which affect seafarers and cause mental disorders. Capt. Dr. Goswami methodically integrated these socio-demographic characteristics into the DSM Manual and explained how the seafarers were affected.

The house thanked the speakers for their valuable presentations.

The meeting closed with a vote of thanks by the Secretary of the Kolkata Chapter, Capt. Swapnendu Lal Mohapatra.

Cocktails and Refreshments marked the conclusion of the evening.

Marex Media