The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) is working on an initiative that aims to map the need for mental health support for seafarers on cruise ships.

The organization, which represents 670 unions and 18 million transport workers, is surveying crew members via an online form, which is available here.

Cruise ship workers are asked to answer questions about their position onboard, as well as their opinions on various mental health-related issues.

ITF also questions crew members about the availability of existing psychological support services and the creation of a seafarer’s psychological telephone counselling service.

The organization also asks workers whether the service would be more effective if the ITF or another trade union was involved in its delivery.

All answers are confidential and will remain anonymous, the organization said.

According to ITF, over 200,000 people currently work on cruise ships around the world. The organization considers the work stressful, pointing out a few industry-exclusive issues.

“On many cruise ships, the crew totals over 1,000 people, and there are generally three or even four passengers to every crew member. It’s a lot of bodies – from many different backgrounds – in a relatively small space,” ITF stated.

The organization also pointed to contract durations, saying that most workers are at sea for many months at a stretch and “only get a few hours on shore when the ship is in port.”

Other issues include sharing cabins with coworkers, as well as the pressure to work hard for long hours, ITF said.

The organization and its affiliated trade unions are said to have reached agreements with cruise ship employers around the world, laying down standards for working terms and conditions on board.

“The cruise industry is certainly growing,” ITF said on its website, pointing to larger ships being built for cruise lines.

“We believe this expansion means that employers should be emphasizing skills training and professionalism. That would benefit all – crew, passengers and companies,” the organization added.