Navigare 1 - Sjøfartsdirektoratet

Lifestyle diseases pose a threatto seafarersAfter a long day’s work on board, it is easy to be drawn to thesofa. However, off duty physical activity is important in orderto prevent health problems amongst seafarers. The Seamen’sService offers both guidance and inspiration to make an effort.Around the world it is not to be takenfor granted that the authorities willtake responsibility for the seafarers’welfare. The model for financing andstructuring we have in the Nordiccountries and in some European countries,is in line with how we organizethe rest of our welfare state. In the restof the world, it is the voluntary organisationsthat take responsibility – if theyare allocated the resources.Daily newspapersThe Norwegian Seamen’s Service is underpressure. We must constantly performand prove our importance, before we canask for additional resources. The thinkingof business economists has establishedfoothold within the allocating authorities,and we have to continuously applyinnovative thinking in order to make asmuch of every krone as possible.One of the ways in which we will tryto get more out of the available resources,is through the Nordic co-operation onwelfare. Today, we co-operate at several ofour foreign service stations on newspapers,athletic events and visitation. Thelatest news is that the Danish Seamen’sService would like to place a newspaperprinter at our station in Port Said, enablingthe daily newspapers to be deliveredon board passing ships. We will follow upwith an article on this project in the nextedition of Navigare.Exercise to battle fatigueNowadays, exercise reports are pouring inat the main office. Every year we see asteady increase in the level of activity onboard our ships. Our sports colleaguesalso notice an ever increasing demand forguidance in establishing a gymnasium onboard. This kind of rush and such requestsare a source of great inspiration to us.Through research, we know that seafarershave a shorter average life expectancythan comparable working brothers andsisters onshore. A high BMI, or in everydaylanguage – overweight, must be takenseriously by seafarers, ship owners and wewho work for safety at sea. It is well documentedthat there is a connection betweenfatigue and running the shipaground. However, fatigue also results ina higher incidence of diabetes and heartattacks, just to mention a few of the lifestylediseases seafarers struggle with.Physical activity may help, so go for it!We see time and time again that it helps.Torbjørn Husby,underdirektør Sjøfartsdirektoratet,assistant Director of Department,the Norwegian Maritime DirectorateEXERCISE ALITTLE FIRST!Then you may relax with a cup of coffee andthe latest newspapers from home.Not everyone have such fabulous fi tnessrooms on board as the lucky employees ofnew building “Edda Fauna”, but everyonecan manage to exercise a little. Joggingalong the quayside is probably an alternativefor the die hard enthusiasts.ILLUSTRASJONSFOTO: BENTE AMANDUSSENNAVIGARE 1 - 2008 27