Seafarers calling at Ukrainian ports will receive specialist safety kits designed to mitigate the risks posed by missile and drone attacks under a new initiative from maritime charity Stella Maris.
The crew safety kits are designed to help seafarers prepare for and respond to emergencies while operating in conflict affected regions.
The initiative comes at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions affecting major shipping routes around the world, including the Strait of Hormuz.
Each kit contains specialised first aid equipment kits such as haemostatic tourniquets, pressure bandages and treatment for flash burns to address battlefield trauma. Printed materials detailing procedures to follow during an air raid, the location of public shelters, and information stickers to display on ship bulkheads are also included.
This initiative has been made possible through funding from Den Norske Krigsforsikring for Skib (DNK), whose support has enabled Stella Maris to produce and distribute the first wave of crew safety kits to vessels calling at Ukrainian ports.
Stella Maris Ukraine national director and Odesa port chaplain Father Alexander Smerechynskyy said ships entering Ukrainian ports face regular missile and drone attacks, and the kits were developed to help protect crews operating in a war zone.
“Many overseas crews arrive without clear instructions on what to do during an air raid. In a war zone, preparedness is often the only thing you can control, and it can be the difference between life and death,” said Smerechynskyy.
“Our safety kits provide not only essential medical equipment but also clear multilingual instructions, maps to shelters, and QR links to emergency guidance. It is not just a set of items. It is a practical safety system designed to reduce panic and increase the chances of survival during an attack,” he added.
“With geopolitical tensions increasing in several key shipping routes, including the current situation around the Strait of Hormuz, the risks faced by seafarers are growing. Crews are often on the frontline of global conflicts they have no part in. That makes practical preparation and clear safety guidance more important than ever for seafarers operating in high-risk regions,” said Tim Hill, Stella Maris UK CEO.
