The Mission to Seafarers welcomed its President, HRH The Princess Royal, to a private audience in the Boardroom of the Baltic Exchange in London, one of the maritime world’s most iconic institutions. Over lunch she met with senior shipping executives, some of whom had flow from as far afield as Hong Kong to discuss the vital issue of seafarer welfare.
The unique setting, with its Cuban Mahogany table and chandeliers, set the tone for conversations centred around how maritime leaders can work together to provide support for the 1.5 million seafarers across the world. Discussion also touched on some of the most serious issues seafarers face such as high rates of depression, mental illness and suicide. Mission senior staff were able to share updates on the Mission’s vital global work to address these issues and its plans for the future of seafarer welfare support.
During the lunch The Princess Royal delivered a keynote speech, in which she recalled her own conversations with seafarers during a recent trip to Singapore and commended them for their continued hard work and bravery. She also thanked the Mission for its ‘selfless commitment’ to helping seafarers all over the world.
The Mission to Seafarers welcomed its President, HRH The Princess Royal, to a private audience in the Boardroom of the Baltic Exchange in London, one of the maritime world’s most iconic institutions. Over lunch she met with senior shipping executives, some of whom had flow from as far afield as Hong Kong to discuss the vital issue of seafarer welfare.
The unique setting, with its Cuban Mahogany table and chandeliers, set the tone for conversations centred around how maritime leaders can work together to provide support for the 1.5 million seafarers across the world. Discussion also touched on some of the most serious issues seafarers face such as high rates of depression, mental illness and suicide. Mission senior staff were able to share updates on the Mission’s vital global work to address these issues and its plans for the future of seafarer welfare support.
During the lunch The Princess Royal delivered a keynote speech, in which she recalled her own conversations with seafarers during a recent trip to Singapore and commended them for their continued hard work and bravery. She also thanked the Mission for its ‘selfless commitment’ to helping seafarers all over the world.
Speaking after the event, Revd Andrew Wright, Secretary General of the Mission to Seafarers, said, “We would like to extend our gratitude to HRH The Princess Royal for her unwavering support of our work here at the Mission. Her dedication and willingness to support this new event underpins the importance she places on helping seafarers around the world, mindful of the dangers and difficulties that they continue to face.
“The opportunity for the Mission to connect with some of our most senior corporate supporters at this event brings to the forefront that there is diminishing demand for its services. As we continue to develop new services across the globe in response to the needs of seafarers and their families it’s essential that we work together with the leading figures of the industry to build a stronger and more structured support network.”
Also in attendance was Captain David Ellis, President of the Mission’s Seafarers’ Centre in Brisbane, who picked up the award for Seafarer’s Centre of the Year at last month’s ISWAN International Seafarers’ Welfare Awards in Geneva
Publication: TradeWinds
