At its heart, ISWAN is a membership organisation and we are proud to have a network of over 80 members who are committed to improving the lives of seafarers worldwide.
Our members reflect the diversity present in the shipping industry today, from shipping companies to unions and insurance groups to welfare organisations, and bring a wealth of experience.
This month, our Members of the Month are Scorpio Ship Management, Seafarers' House San Juan and ShipMoney.
1. WHO are you?
We are Scorpio Ship Management, headquartered in Monaco, with offices that span the expanse of the globe, remaining close to our clients to fulfil their needs. We believe in excellence; in ourselves, our products, and our services. Through our offices in India, Greece and Turkey, we provide innovative technical management and crewing services to clients for a fleet of over 150 vessels. We consider the 7000+ seafarers serving on board our ships as our most valuable asset, and without them, we would never exist as a company. This inspires all our decision-making in our duty of care and we go that extra mile to ensure their safety and well-being, whether on board or ashore.
2. WHAT do you do and why is seafarers' welfare important to you?
We focus great attention on crew wellbeing and welfare and invest extensively in training and development programs so that our seafarers remain the industry’s best and consistently deliver high-quality results with HSQE standards exceeding industry requirements. We recognize that a happy ship is a performing ship and spare no effort in equipping our vessels with recreational facilities and other amenities to improve the quality of life on board. Scorpio’s participation in the ISWAN SIM (Social Interaction Matters) Project is a testimony to our commitment to keeping our crew physically active and mentally engaged. We took the step many years ago of providing health insurance for seafarers and their families when on leave, a gesture which has been well received and has proved beneficial in times when assistance was most required. In-house psychologists, and a dedicated Relationship Manager in each of our crew offices, ensure that our seafarers have someone to approach whenever they are in need.
3. WHY are you a member of ISWAN?
Scorpio is delighted to be a member of ISWAN as the network’s values and care mirror so closely our own. With the resources and training materials placed at the disposition of seafarers, ISWAN ensures that the seafarer always remains front-of-mind. This integrity has transformed the shipping community, ensuring business decisions fully accommodate the safety and welfare of our crews not just now, but as the industry evolves. We look upon ISWAN as the forerunner in supporting, sustaining and promoting seafarers’ welfare globally and we are happy to be partners with them on this fulfilling journey.
To find out more about us, visit our Group website at: scorpiogroup.net
1. WHO are you?
Seafarers’ House San Juan is a center created to provide seafarers with a relaxing place where a crew member can feel at home away from home. In addition, we’re a communication center where crew members can contact their families, get assistance, or any other service offshore.
2. WHAT do you do and why is seafarers' welfare important to you?
Seafarers’ House San Juan was established to create a facility that caters to seafarers’ specific needs. We understand that communicating with loved ones can be difficult sometimes for seafarers, so when one arrives at our center and registers with us, we provide free Wi-Fi service during their stay and other additional services, such as package receiving, computer, and phone use. Furthermore, in our facilities, they can find a mini market with products of high interest to seafarers, sim cards, calling cards, printers, fax, scan, etc.
A seafarer’s work can be long and stressful, and we feel that their mental well-being is of vital importance. Therefore, our motto is “Your Home Away from Home,” which is the essence of the service we wish to continue providing seafarers who visit our center. For this reason, during the year, we celebrate activities and awareness of interest to seafarers that can help them for more knowledge as International Women’s Day, Mental Health Awareness, AIDS Awareness, Seafarers’ Day, etc.
3. WHY are you a member of ISWAN?
We at Seafarers House, San Juan in Puerto Rico, have been members of ISWAN since 2006. We believe that the organization has done a spectacular job in servicing seafarers. Their help and support in times of crisis are crucial to those seafarers who are the breadwinners in their families. In addition, the knowledge one gain from their workshops and seminars is very beneficial for handling and understanding any situations that may arise when trying to service seafarers. We feel that we can now achieve this thanks to the knowledge that we have acquired from ISWAN.
1. WHO are you?
Maritime Payment Solutions, LLC otherwise known by the tradename ShipMoney. ShipMoney simplifies how the maritime industry administers payroll reducing operating costs, increasing working capital and mitigating risk while offering crew a new welfare benefit program providing instant access to their wages and multiple channels to send money to their family. While onboard, right from their phone with the click of a button.
2. WHAT do you do and why is seafarers' welfare important to you?
ShipMoney is a leading global provider of digital maritime payments facilitating crew wages, cash-to-master payments, allotments, international corporate remittances, money transfers, payroll advances, onboard expenses and all other forms of maritime payments. Getting paid on time is a critical factor for seafarers and their families, removing stress and anxiety. Using ShipMoney’s digital payments system gives seafarers instant and transparent access to their wages and payroll advances – anytime and anywhere. Traditionally, crew have been paid via a combination of cash onboard along with a wire payment sent to a home bank account. Cash onboard is drawn from cash-to-master which is costly, ranging from 2% to 5% as well as costs to remit payments to home bank accounts with charges up to $15 or more. Using ShipMoney, crew can send international wire transfers to virtually any bank account in the world, send money via Western Union and MoneyGram.
3. WHY are you a member of ISWAN?
Our corporate mantra states – It’s ALL about the crew. They work for our clients, and we work for them. We value ISWAN and are proud to be associated with the organization because of these shared values. We developed the ShipMoney Cares Program in 2019 for ISWAN that enabled one-time financial grants to seafarers in need, which included medical and educational support. Along with our remittance partners, we made a sizable donation to ISWAN which helped fund the ISWAN Hardship Fund in 2020. Seafarers are the lifeblood of our industry and will continue to work with ISWAN in support of your efforts.
We are grateful to our main funders for their continued support:
