Seafarers Hospital Society hygiene kits to support women at sea

UK-based maritime charity Seafarers Hospital Society (SHS) will supply the Port of Tilbury and its London International Cruise Terminal with feminine hygiene products kits to freely distribute to women seafarers in need.

The charity said its pilot project aims to address a gap in existing facilities and welfare provisions onboard vessels and in ports, which often fail to account for the specific healthcare requirements of women. With limited access to menstrual health products at sea, planning by seafarers can be be undone by short-notice contract extensions, lengthy voyages, and restrictions on shore leave.

The project is funded by a £25,000 ($33,000) grant from the TK Foundation and The Seafarers’ Charity, funds that will be used to create 1,030 feminine hygiene kits for women seafarers. 

Over the next 12 months, SHS said it will provide 1,000 discreet bags of sanitary products, containing a mixture of sanitary towels, tampons, period pants, at the London International Cruise Terminal. SHS will also work with the Port of Tilbury, in partnership with the QVSR London Tilbury Seafarer Centre, to provide 30 discreet bags of sanitary products (sanitary towels and period pants only) to be distributed via the Port Chaplain to women seafarers from cargo ships.

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Sandra Welch, CEO of the Seafarers Hospital Society, said: “Although maritime stakeholders often discuss the visible challenges women in our workforce may face — such as harassment (including sexual harassment), bullying, and discrimination in terms of pay, training and opportunities — the more subtle hurdles of a lack of access to menstrual hygiene products and the significant impact on a female seafarer’s ability to perform her duties tends to be left unremarked. This must change. 

“I hope this innovative project makes visible this gap and paves the way for similar projects to be created across other ports in the UK.”

Deborah Layde, chief executive of The Seafarers’ Charity said: “This project emerged from research we funded into the welfare needs of women on cargo ships, conducted by Seafarers’ International Research Centre at Cardiff University. It is our hope that this pilot will help shipping companies reflect on how they can best assist their female crew on board with their wellbeing, as well as improving rates of retention and attracting more women to the industry.”