From Assessment To Action: Advancing Inland Mariner Wellness

Since the release of the U.S. Inland Mariner Wellness Assessment in January 2026 and its companion publication, Partnering to Advance Inland Mariner Wellness, in July, the Seamen’s Church Institute (SCI) has continued the conversation with mariners, vessel operators, health care professionals, researchers and others across the inland maritime community. The assessment gave us a clearer picture of the challenges affecting mariner wellness; these conversations are helping shape what comes next.

Across the industry, there is both a strong awareness of these challenges and a shared commitment to addressing them. With a better understanding of where the needs are, the focus now turns to action: How can we work together to make a meaningful difference in the health and well-being of mariners?

SCI is approaching that question through three connected pathways: health and safety, human resources and chaplaincy. Each offers a different way to improve mariner wellness, but all three share the same goal: ensuring the people who keep the inland maritime industry moving have the support they need to stay healthy, safe and resilient.

The first pathway focuses on health and safety and identifying the health and wellness issues that matter most to the inland maritime industry. Through SCI’s Center for Mariner Advocacy (CMA), SCI will bring together vessel operators, health care professionals, researchers and other industry partners to agree on the most important questions and priorities for future research. This will help ensure that research reflects both the needs of inland maritime companies, their operational standards and the realities of working aboard vessels. By connecting industry experience with research expertise, SCI seeks to help focus on efforts where they can have the greatest impact on mariner health and well-being.

The second pathway focuses on human resources and strengthening a culture of care. Many inland maritime companies view their mariners and employees as family and already offer benefits, programs and other forms of support. These resources have the greatest impact when mariners know what is available, understand how to access it and, most importantly, feel comfortable asking for help.

CMA seeks to learn from current HR best practices and work with occupational specialists to better understand what has been effective and where mariners may face barriers to accessing support. By identifying and sharing promising approaches, CMA can work with the industry to establish ways to make resources easier for mariners to find, understand and use. Just as important is fostering a culture that destigmatizes mental or physical health issues and where asking for help is encouraged.

SCI’s third pathway builds on one of its greatest strengths: chaplaincy. Since 1998, SCI’s Ministry on the River (MOR) has provided the nation’s only full-time pastoral care ministry dedicated exclusively to inland and Gulf Coastal mariners. MOR chaplains meet mariners where they are — aboard vessels, during crew changes and at new-hire orientations, in times of crisis or whenever someone needs confidential support and a listening ear.

At its heart, MOR is a ministry of presence. By showing up and staying connected, our chaplains build trusted relationships with mariners and gain valuable insight into the realities they face. As life and work on the waterways continue to change, MOR will listen to mariners and industry partners to understand how and where chaplains can best provide support. What we learn through these relationships will help us respond to emerging needs and strengthen the care and resources available to mariners.

In our conversations so far, one message has come through clearly: No single organization can improve mariner wellness alone. While SCI is looking to lead in this effort, progress will require mariners, vessel operators, health care providers, researchers, industry associations, HR professionals, chaplains and others working together.

Essentially, the central purpose of SCI’s U.S. Inland Mariner Wellness Assessment was to bring these voices together and start the conversation as to where greater attention is needed. SCI wants to build on the industry’s longstanding commitment to taking care of its own while creating a stronger foundation for what comes next. The assessment helped identify the challenges. Now the focus is on action: building consensus, amplifying what is already working and developing practical approaches that can make a lasting difference in mariners’ lives.

To download the U.S. Inland Mariner Wellness Assessment or Partnering to Advance Inland Mariner Wellness, visit SCI’s website at seamenschurch.org. For more information about SCI’s ongoing work to advance mariner wellness, contact the Center for Mariner Advocacy, also through the SCI website.