Day and night for 365 days per year, the Mission is on call, providing help for seafarers in over 200 ports around the world.
Seafarers need our help because they are often working in dangerous conditions, with no one else to turn to. Our Port Chaplains send us stories about the sea men and women they support, and we tailor our help to each and every one of them.
The Mission Impact
Port outputs
Every January, we analyse our global reports from around 200 ports to assess our outputs in line with our duties under the UK Charity Commission regulations.
We care passionately about providing help to seafarers and their families, and make sure that our limited funds are spent where the need is greatest.
To make these judgements, we have:
- expanded our digital chaplaincy reporting
- use an app, called Ship Visitor, which is used by all members of International Christian Maritime Association (ICMA)
The Mission to Seafarers asks all ports to provide reports on the following welfare work streams:
- Ship visiting
- Transport runs
- Seafarers’ Centres attendance
- Justice and welfare cases
- Christian services provided
- Christian materials distributed
The Mission figures
The Mission to Seafarers work is often confidential, as we provide support in a very sensitive setting. We are trusted by thousands of seafarers, who use our services every day. That is why we do not make reporting a public activity, in case it hinders our work providing care and support, sometimes in crisis situations.
Our top priority is that seafarers and their families feel 100% safe in our care, and they are confident that our professional port chaplaincy teams are highly skilled at bringing help when needed.
We have estimated the following figures, based on regular reporting from key sea port areas from all eight of our global regions.
2023 Global Stats:
Ship visits: 43,235 encountering approximately 302,645 seafarers on board their vessels.
Centres: 149,819 visits to our 121 centres.
Transport: 130,828 seafarers used our transport services.
Knitting: 1 Metric tonne of knitting was distributed to our seafarers.
Shopping: 11,300 shopping trips were made for seafarers, with an estimated value of goods totaling over US$1.25 million.
To view our 2023 Global Impact Poster, click here.
Family Networks
Philippines: 2,717 individuals participated in our Family Network, and 1,043 seafarers and their families received justice and welfare support.
India: 2,050 seafarers and family members participated in our Family Network Programme in Tuticorin.
Myanmar: 455 seafarers and family member’s participated in educational courses run by the Family Network Programme in Myanmar.
We Care Training: 62,110 seafarers and their family members are benefiting from the knowledge and tools given through our WeCare Programme.
To view our 2023 Family Support Impact Poster, click here.
Emergency Response
Justice & Welfare: 1,759 justice and welfare cases were responded to globally.
SafeTALK Marine training: 325 suicide alert helpers and 44 suicide first aiders have been trained since 2022.
Financial aid: $30,000 of financial aid was given to seafarer families in Ukraine.
To view our 2023 Emergency Response Poster, click here.
Stats and facts
Over 90% of world trade is carried by sea, providing work to 1.89 million seafarers. Shipping is a truly international industry: in today’s global market, you might have a Greek-owned vessel, registered in Malta, with officers from India and a mixed crew from Thailand, Indonesia, Vanuatu, and the Philippines.
Shipping provides people with many opportunities: to see the world and to work in a job where you know you’re making a difference.
However, it is also one of the world’s most dangerous occupations, with piracy, shipwrecks, and abandonment just some of the threats seafarers face. Mental health issues affect many seafarers, but our volunteers and chaplains are there to provide emotional and spiritual support, whether that’s on board or at our Seafarers Centres. Our Mission is to provide help for Seafarers when they need it most.
Trustees’ Report
You can download our most recent report by clicking here.
