VIKAND Clinical Data Reinforces Gard Findings on Maritime’s Highest-Cost Crew Health Risk
Cardiovascular disease may account for a relatively small proportion of onboard medical consultations, but serious cases can have a disproportionate clinical and operational impact, according to VIKAND, whose commercial shipping data reinforces findings from the recently published 2026 Gard Crew Claims Report. Gard’s report, based on around 3,000 P&I crew claims, found that illness accounts ...
Cardiovascular disease emerges as a significant crew health risk in the maritime industry, despite accounting for a relatively small portion of onboard medical consultations, according to VIKAND's commercial shipping data. The organization's analysis, based on data from 2024-2026, found that cardiovascular conditions made up around 5% of consultations, while musculoskeletal issues were the most common at approximately 13%.
Despite their lower frequency, cardiovascular illnesses accounted for about 10% of all crew disembarkations. VIKAND's data suggests a growing burden of chronic cardiovascular risk factors, particularly among older seafarers, with hypertension being a key modifiable risk factor. Preventing these conditions through proactive chronic disease management, regular blood pressure monitoring, and onboard health initiatives could significantly reduce operational disruption and healthcare costs.
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