Shippers to Support Seafarers’ Mental Health Needs
Monday 25th June marked the IMO Day of the Seafarer, which this year has a particular focus on seafarer well-being. In response, members of the European Community Shipowners’ Associations; UK Chamber of Shipping and the Royal Dutch Shipowners Association have each launched webpages signposting seafarers to mental health charities, chaplain services and support networks. The move follows a study of more than 1000 seafarers by Yale University and the Sailor’s Society, where 26 per cent of seafarers said they had felt “down, depressed or hopeless”. In May 2018, the UK Chamber of Shipping and seafarer’s trade unions launched detailed guidance for shipping companies on how to proactively support their seafarer’s mental health.
PCT Acceptance for Miratech’s V-CAT Catalyst
Miratech Corporation, designer and manufacturer of emission control products, has been notified that the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) application submitted for its V-CAT catalyst has been accepted. Acceptance of the PCT opens the door to and simplifies the process for subsequent international patent filings. Under the PCT, Miratech, by filing a single international patent application in one language with one patent office, will streamline the process for seeking protection for its V-CAT design in up to 117 countries throughout the world.