Embracing Change – A Seafarer Perspective
by Rev. David Reid MA AFNI In 1968, I made a decision that would change my life. Looking back, I remember the surprise when I informed my parents that I had decided to join the British Merchant Navy. They were surprised
ICMA Seminar in Malmö explores partnerships for the future of maritime ministry
On September 6-7, ICMA members and partners gathered for a seminar exploring the future of maritime ministry partnerships in Malmö, Sweden. The event was hosted by the Seamen's Church in Malmö and received sponsorship from the Swedish Church Abroad. More
NAMMA Conference 2018 Explores Port Ministry at the Margins
The North American Maritime Ministry Association is a network of more than 50 affiliated agencies and individual members who work for seafarers’ welfare around North American and the Caribbean. NAMMA's Annual Conference is the most broadly diverse gathering of maritime
Mobile Hotspot Program sponsored by ITF Seafarers’ Trust in partnership with NAMMA
High speed internet access is the number one request of seafarers from port-based seafarers’ welfare providers. Most seafarers’ centres provide free or cheap internet access in their facilities and many also sell data-capable SIM cards. Until recently however, those SIM
Lessons from Healthcare Chaplaincy for Maritime Ministry
Photo caption: Chaplain David Reid accepts a certificate on behalf of SCI Philadelphia during the ISWAN Seafarers' Welfare Awards ceremony at the ILO in Geneva on April 23, 2018 from ILO Deputy Director Greg Vines for being shortlisted for the
Book Review: Sailors’ Society, 200 Stories from the Sea, 1818-2018
Nick Churchill, Melanie Warman, Charis Gibson, and James Leslie. 200 Stories from the Sea, 1818-2018. Southampton: Sailors’ Society, 2018. This is a commemorative book with 200 short vignettes about the work of the Sailors’ Society on the occasion of its 200th
No smooth sailing: ‘Utility men’ and manning agencies in the Philippines
by Roderick G Galam ‘If you stayed and worked here, nothing is going to happen to you.' These are the words of 23-year-old utility man, Anton, when speaking about his life chances in the Philippines. He feels stuck and concludes that he
Seafarers’ Welfare in Canada Seminar Montreal
On April 13, 2018, members of the Canadian maritime community gathered at the newly-constructed Montreal Seafarers’ Centre for a one-day seminar on seafarers’ welfare in our country. Addressing more than forty attendees, the panelists represented a diverse cross-section of the
Protecting Migrant Populations from Forced Labor at Sea.
Free COMPASS E-Learning Courses are Now Available! The commercial fishing industry, deemed one of the most important economic sectors in the world, relies on large numbers of migrant workers to flourish. These migrants are frequently recruited from refugee and displaced populations
Never Too Old to Learn: Reconsidering an Old Method in Maritime Ministry
A short time ago, I read Virginia Hoel’s monograph, Faith, Fatherland and the Norwegian Seaman. The work of the Norwegian Seamen’s Mission in Antwerp and the Dutch Ports 1864-1920 (Verloren, 2016). This study provides us with a beautiful insight into the