Category: <span>Executive Notes</span>
Keeping the Hantavirus Risk in Perspective
Recent reports of a small hantavirus outbreak linked to the expedition vessel MV Hondius have understandably raised concerns across the cruise and travel industry. Any loss of life is tragic and cannot be minimised. However, it’s important to understand that these were isolated cases and the virus is very unlikely of becoming a pandemic. This…
Great Onboard Care Starts Long Before Departure
In recent years, recruitment across maritime healthcare has grown increasingly complex. Following the pandemic, many experienced shipboard doctors chose to remain in shoreside roles, creating a more competitive landscape for clinicians with maritime experience. Those with relevant backgrounds are now more selective, often seeking improved compensation or rotational models that reduce time at sea. At…
Standing With Seafarers Amid Heightened Maritime Vulnerability
Half a decade has passed since the Suez Canal blockage brought global trade to a halt and left thousands of seafarers stranded. The trauma of that incident, and lessons that emerged from it, still resonate as the industry faces a new crisis. With commercial shipping directly in the crosshairs of escalating conflict in the Middle…
Healthcare Technology Management at Sea: A New Era of Capability, Connectivity and Complexity
For much of the cruise industry’s history, leaders treated shipboard medical care as a necessary support function. Medical teams delivered capable care with limited space and staff and at significant distance from shoreside facilities. That framing no longer applies. Today, cruise medical centres operate more like compact urgent care clinics. Medical teams have access to…
The Year Ahead
As we look ahead to VIKAND’s 15th year in operation, I want to remind us all why this exceptional company exists: we are here to champion health, safety and human sustainability at sea. Everything we do is in service of that mission. Much has changed since VIKAND began. Maritime operations continue to grow in complexity…
Reflecting on 2025
As 2025 draws to a close, let’s examine what shifted in maritime healthcare and what still requires a concerted effort from stakeholders. This was a year of genuine progress, yet it also raised questions on how far the industry is willing to go to make wellbeing a strategic priority rather than an aspiration. One clear…
For Mental Health at Sea, Awareness is Not Enough
For years, mental health at sea has been a growing concern. Only recently has it begun to receive broader attention from the media, from other crew members and, gradually, from industry stakeholders. This is progress, but it is not enough. Awareness is just a first stepping stone on the path to change. What concerns me…
Obligation Meets Opportunity on World Maritime Day
This year’s World Maritime Day (WMD) theme is “Our Ocean, Our Obligation, Our Opportunity.” While it might be tempting to dismiss such industry observances as mere marketing, this one could not be more relevant to the realities facing shipping today. The ocean’s vital role in modern economies cannot be overstated. According to the International Maritime…
Takeaways from the American Waterways Operators Safety & Sustainability Conference
The recent AWO Safety & Sustainability Conference in Chicago brought together US leaders from across the brown water sector for a candid discussion on where our industry stands today and where it must go next. VIKAND was proud to contribute to this conversation by presenting on Crew Asset Management. Our message was simple but resonant:…
Crew Welfare is More Important Than Ever
As I reflect on a year that is already half over, one theme continues to stand out amidst the noise: Crew welfare. This is the heart of VIKAND’s mission, and 2025 has already proven that human safety at sea remains a critical issue. As reports of crew abandonment, rest hour violations and safety issues continue…