Marking IMO's Day of the Seafarer, Marlins, part of V.Group and the charity, International Seafarers Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN) have created a new elearning course to help seafarers prevent and prepare for piracy attacks.



Although there have been no successful attacks off Somalia for some time, piracy, armed robbery and kidnapping of seafarers in West Africa and Asia are a current concern. Indonesia recently released advice to vessels in the area to avoid certain danger areas, such as the South Philippine waters of the Sulu Sea, fearing piracy could rise to Somali levels. In some countries, training on piracy has become compulsory for seafarers prior to departure.



Over the past four years, ISWAN's Maritime Piracy Humanitarian Response Programme has become a leading provider of piracy awareness training for seafarers. Based on industry best practice guides, ISWAN's training courses give companies and manning agents a template for helping seafarers and their families deal with cases of armed robbery and piracy attack.



This interactive new elearning course on piracy, which draws on ISWAN's expertise, provides seafarers with an understanding of anti-piracy measures and promotes strategies for dealing with an attack. The course focuses on ensuring seafarers have the mental resilience to remain strong during their ordeal. It also addresses the issue of post-traumatic stress, explaining what it is, how seafarers and their families can cope with the condition and where they can get help.



Roger Harris, executive director of ISWAN, said: "The experience of seafarers who have been attacked shows the benefit of preparation, training and drills. This new e-learning course will be a valuable addition for seafarers to learn about the issues of attack and capture without having to be in a classroom setting."



Catherine Logie, manager of Marlins said: "With insight into how devastating a pirate attack can be for seafarers and their families, ISWAN and Marlins have combined their knowledge to provide practical guidance to all seafarers who may be at risk of piracy. This new elearning course brings piracy issues right up-to-date and makes industry best practice available to seafarers in any location."



The new course will be available later next month (July) via the Marlins online shop and will be included in the next update for all subscribers to Marlins eLearning Suite for Seafarers.