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At its heart, ISWAN is a membership organisation and we are proud to have a network of over 150 members who are committed to improving the lives of seafarers worldwide.

Our members reflect the diversity present in the maritime sector today, from shipping and yacht management companies to unions, and from insurance groups to welfare organisations, and they all bring a wealth of experience.

Our Member of the Month this April is the UK P&I Club.

WHO are you?

I am Sophia Grant, the Programme Director for Crew Health, at the UK P&I Club, part of Thomas Miller.

WHAT do you do and why is seafarers’ welfare important to you?

As Programme Director for Crew Health at the UK P&I Club, I lead work focused on supporting and safeguarding the health, wellbeing, and safety of seafarers around the world.

This includes oversight of our Pre‑Employment Medical Examination (PEME) Programme, supporting Members during medical or humanitarian crises, and working closely with trusted clinical and welfare partners internationally.

Seafarers’ welfare matters deeply to me because the individuals we support are often working far from home, under significant pressure, and with limited access to help when they need it most. I see first‑hand how early support, clear signposting, and preventive approaches can make a real difference, not only to individual wellbeing, but to safety at sea and the resilience of maritime operations.

Putting people at the centre of health decision‑making is both the right thing to do and essential for a sustainable industry.

WHY are you a member of ISWAN?

We value our membership of ISWAN because of its practical, collaborative approach to seafarers’ welfare and its ability to provide trusted, frontline support where it is most needed.

Services such as SeafarerHelp play a crucial role in ensuring seafarers have confidential, independent access to advice and assistance at any time, no matter where they are in the world.

ISWAN’s evidence‑based work, global reach, and focus on early intervention align closely with our own commitment to signposting seafarers to the right support at the right time. Being part of ISWAN allows us to collaborate meaningfully, share insight, and contribute to initiatives that genuinely improve outcomes for seafarers.

Find out more about the UK P&I Club on their website: ukpandi.com.

If you represent a company or organisation and would like to find out more about the benefits of ISWAN membership, please visit our Membership page.