Interpersonal relationships with seafarers are a vital aspect among the crews onboard a ship. But before we go deeper let us first discuss what an interpersonal relationship is all about.

An interpersonal relationship is an association or connection between 2 or more people. Connection or association with fellow seafarers at sea is vital, teamwork is the key to every successful voyage. 

On the sea, every seafarer has a specific role to play. Each of these roles is connected, in the sense that they all work together. To be part of a ship’s crew, a seafarer needs to learn how to socialize or associate with other seafarers onboard.

There are many advantages of interpersonal relationships onboard a ship; not only does it increase the level of cooperation within the ship’s crew, but it also creates an avenue for getting jobs done swiftly with ease.

What’s the interpersonal relationship of your ship’s crew like? Is it perfect, or do you think it needs improvement?

Here, we will be listing in intervals how a seafarer can improve his/her interpersonal relationship with other seafarers and how a crew leader or captain can improve the interpersonal relationship of the ship’s crew.

1. Get Onboard together 

The easiest and most strategic way of socializing or getting acquainted is through social gatherings. Friends can easily be made when the heart is merry.

Organizing little parties onboard for seafarers is important. It loosens them up and gives them the opportunity to mingle. 

2. Being open-minded

Being serious at all times is good, but sometimes you have to loosen up. Being uptight all the time can scare potential friends away. 

When onboard, try to be open-minded and mix up with others; no man is an island. Being a loner onboard a ship is really risky. Seafarers need to watch each other.

3. Onboard meetings

Morning meetings play a vital role in the social life of the mariners on board, but they also help enhance their performance.

After assigning the various duties for the day to them, the seafarers should be given the opportunity to discuss and share their opinions. By doing this, the communication level between the crew improves greatly and leaves room for more improvement.

4. Join onboard activities

As a seafarer, try your possible best to mingle with your fellow mariners. How can you achieve this? The best way and opportunity to mingle or get acquainted with your fellow crew members is by participating in the onboard activities. 

Feeling or acting too big onboard is almost unacceptable. No one is more important than the other; every crew member plays an important role.

When there is an onboard activity, join the other crew members to have fun. This helps in improving your interpersonal relationship with others. 

5. Onboard recreational activities like sports

There are lots of fun games or sports that can be carried out on ships. Ships are often very large and have enough space for minor sports activities. Games or sports are less fun when carried out individually, thereby giving the crew little or no choice than to socialize with themselves. 

Nearly everyone loves to game and sport; aside from that, spending so much time at sea can get boring, and these fun activities can help in boosting moods. This means that almost all the crew on board will be participating in these activities, hence creating avenues for the improvement of interpersonal relationships between the crew.

6. Onboard training

Training conducted onboard ships have proven to be helpful in running a smooth and safe voyage.

This training improves seafarers’ skills, which boosts their adequacy and confidence when faced with difficult challenges or hazards.

Training is more effective when they are interactive. It gives everyone the opportunity to ask and answer helpful questions and also improves interpersonal relationships.

7. Have a good attitude 

Nobody likes to interact with a rude person. When having conversations with your fellow seafarers, try to be polite. To improve your level of connection with other crew members, you need to practice being polite. Otherwise, you will end up having no one to associate with. This is not only risky, considering the fact that you need other seafarers to always look out for you; it can also be depressing.

8. Interval breaks

Working without breaks causes more harm than good. Breaks should be given at intervals to improve the working ability of the seafarers on board. These breaks give the crew the opportunity to work out their strained muscles. Working onboard is not an easy task, and it is often stressful. It also gives the crew the opportunity to mix up and socialize.

9. Onboard workouts sections

Onboard workouts are very vital and, in fact, necessary. Workouts/exercises are essential for safety measures onboard. Workouts are the key to maintaining good health, whether on land or sea. 

As earlier mentioned working onboard is not easy and is oftentimes very tasking. To ease up some of those strained muscles, seafarers need to exercise a bit. It doesn’t have to be intense. A little workout can loosen strained muscles.

Organizing general workout/exercise sections can improve the interpersonal relationship of a ship’s crew. It gives them the chance to mingle.

10. Be a jolly fellow

The sea can make you grumpy, especially when it’s in turmoil, but as a seafarer, you should try to get used to the sea and stop allowing it to ruin your mood. The sea is nearly always lousy, so try your best not to let it get to you; otherwise, you will end up being in a dull mood all the time.

Be a jolly fellow, maintain a positive mindset, smile easily, and have fun when the opportunity arises. Do all these and watch your interpersonal relation improve greatly.

Crew leaders or captains should always come up with events that can bring all the crew together. It doesn’t just help to improve their level of connection. It also helps to ease off strains and stress. Relaxing and having fun after taking on a hard task comes with lots of advantages.

As a seafarer, mingling or associating with others when onboard is very important. A loner can be knocked off into the sea by the wind without others noticing or can get locked up in the engine room unknowingly. A good interpersonal relationship with other mariners puts you in a vantage position. It makes your absence noticed almost immediately.

life at Sea