Apostleship News

International maritime network Stella Maris has teamed up with tech start-up FrontM to develop a new crew collaboration and wellbeing platform and super-app designed to give seafarers and fishers across the world quick access to Stella Maris's global chaplaincy directory, media content and faith resources.Stella Maris, formerly known as Apostleship of the Sea, is a ship-visiting network with more than 1,000 chaplains and volunteers in 330 ports across 60 countries. Its team makes 70…

The Sabine Pilots Association on Monday formally opened its new headquarters located in Port Arthur, TexasThe new structure is designed and built to enable the Sabine Pilots to handle the growth and challenges of expanding shipping demands on their waterway.Present at the opening ceremony were some 500 maritime community stakeholders as well as elected and appointed governmental and port area leaders. Speakers were Captain Charles A. Tweedel, President of the Sabine Pilots, and Father Sinclair Oubre' of the Port Arthur Seafarer Center and Apostleship of the Sea…

Inmarsat has formalized a 50% discount for crew voice calling services available for up to 40,000 ships in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on seafarer well-being.The maritime satellite service provider is also ensuring that calls made to the SeafarerHelp service provided by welfare organization ISWAN (International Seafarers’ Welfare Assistance Network) are available free of charge. In addition, Inmarsat is working with crew healthcare specialist Vikand and software platform provider FrontM…

Commercial fishing is one of the world's most dangerous professions yet the internationally-binding instrument which specifically addresses fishing vessel safety, the Cape Town Agreement, is not yet in force – because it needs more countries to ratify it.That's why International Maritime Organization (IMO)  has teamed up with the Pew Charitable Trust, an NGO, to organise a series of seminars for government officials and industry representatives in key developing countries, to raise awareness of the Cape Town Agreement and the benefits of ratifying it.A note from the UN-agency said that these benefits include fewer accidents, fewer lives lost and a more effective infrastructure for monitoring and targeting illegal…

In conjunction with the ‘Day of Seafarer 2018’, Jurong Port (JP), the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), Port of Singapore Authority (PSA), the Singapore Maritime Officers’ Union (SMOU), and the Singapore Organisation of Seamen (SOS) will jointly present 600 gift hampers to ships calling at Singapore. The hampers, containing essential daily items, will reach about 9,000 seafarers as an appreciation for their contributions to the maritime industry and global economy. MPA also contributes a sum of $150,000 annually to support the work of various seafarers’ missions to look out for seafarers’ welfare when they call at our shores.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), fishing at sea is probably the most dangerous occupation in the world. To address this issue, a two-day regional seminar, "Joining forces in the fisheries sector: promoting safety, decent work and the fight against Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU)", has been held (21-22 March) in Manila, Philippines. International Maritime Organization (IMO)'s Sandra Allnutt, Head of Marine Technology, delivered a presentation on IMO's work in promoting safety at sea. Mrs Allnutt also emphasized the longstanding cooperation between FAO and ILO through which safety recommendations have been developed and adopted on the design, construction, equipment, training and protection of fishing vessels.

A group of seafarers are stuck in the port of Durban, South Africa after their vessel was detained for non-payment of wages. The multinational crew working aboard tug/supply ship PSD2 had not been paid for as long as 15 months and were in need of food and fresh water. Two crew members were also in need of immediate medical attention while all of them desperately needed money to send home to their families. Seafarer’s charity Apostleship of the Sea (AoS) and chaplains from other organizations in Durban provided assistance to the ship’s crew.

Apostleship of Sea (AoS) port chaplain Reverend Roger Stone has been awarded the British Empire Medal in the Queen’s New Year’s Honour’s List 2018 for services to the pastoral care of seafarers. Roger has served as port chaplain for the seafarers’ charity since June 2010 and has provided pastoral, spiritual and welfare support to hundreds of crew members who arrive on ships at ports along the South Coast of England. Roger says he is truly honoured and humbled to receive the British Empire Medal from Her Majesty The Queen. He said, “I am proud to work for the Apostleship of the Sea, the greatest and most effective maritime charity in the world. I am privileged to serve so many wonderful seafarers from so many countries around the world.

Pope Francis has affirmed seafarers’ charity Apostleship of the Sea’s (AoS’) ministry with peoples of the sea in his address in the Vatican, as churches around the world celebrated Sea Sunday. In his address on July 13 in St Peter’s Square, Pope Francis said, “Today we celebrate Sea Sunday. I turn my thoughts to seafarers, fishermen and their families. The Pontiff added, “I call on the chaplains and volunteers of the Apostleship of the Sea to continue with their commitment to the pastoral care of these brothers and sisters.

Apostleship of the Sea (AoS) has launched a maritime emergency fund which aims to provide fast and modest cash grants to seafarers in difficulties. The dedicated fund is designed to respond to emergency financial or welfare requests from seafarers or their families in less than 24 hours, taking the immediate pressure off stressful situations. “Most seafarers and fishermen enjoy good living and working conditions but there can be circumstances when crew are not paid, cannot access communications to speak to family and loved ones and even lack food, water and heating,” AoS Great Britain National Director Martin Foley said during the launch of the fund on board the HQS Wellington in London on June 19.

On Sea Sunday, 13, July 2014, churches all over the world come together to remember seafarers and pray for them, their families and those who support them, informs the 'Sea Sunday' web site. “The Mission to Seafarers works tirelessly to provide help and hope to seafarers in distress in 71 countries worldwide. In 260 ports, from Southampton to Sydney, every day the world’s 1.5 million crew men and women look out for the Mission’s ‘Flying Angel’ flag. The Mission is universally trusted to be of service for everyday problems and in maritime emergencies. Sea Sunday is the day which many Christian Churches set aside to remember and pray for seafarers and their families and give thanks for their lives and work. It is officially held on the second Sunday in July.

Those killed in the collision of the Jolly Nero one year ago on May 7, 2013 were remembered in a memorial Mass celebrated by the Cardinal of Genoa, Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco. Seafarers’ charity Apostleship of the Sea also held a commemoration in Genoa at the hour of tragedy on Wednesday to offer support and prayers for survivors and families affected. The day of remembrance concluded with boats gathering at the sight of the collision to pray for the deceased and to cast wreaths on the water.

The dangers of shipping and fishing should not be underestimated, said seafarers’ charity Apostleship of the Sea, following the collision of a car carrier and a fishing boat in Spanish waters. Media have reported that three crew are confirmed dead after the Baltic Breeze, a Singapore-flagged car carrier, collided with a fishing boat near the Spanish port of Vigo in the early morning of Tuesday, April 1. The Baltic Breeze and its crew are well known to the Apostleship of the Sea from its calls at various ports including Bristol…

Seafarers’ charity Apostleship of the Sea (AoS) has paid tribute to its women port chaplains and ship visiting volunteers ahead of International Women’s Day 2014. AoS says women have and will continue to play a significant role within the organisation. It currently has women port chaplains in East Anglia, Plymouth and Hull, as well as many women ship visiting volunteers up and down the country. Their energy and fantastic work in helping meet seafarers’ practical and spiritual needs are an inspiration to many. AoS National Director Martin Foley said; “On this International Women’s Day we give thanks for the work of our female lay chaplains and ship visitors. One ship visitor is Ruth Watt, who quietly goes about her ministry in Fraserburgh and Peterhead ports in Scotland.

Seafarers’ charity Apostleship of the Sea (AoS) is helping Ukrainian seafarers establish contact with their families back home following the crisis in Crimea. Some of the seafarers, who had been at sea for the past few weeks, only received news of the trouble when their ships came into port. AoS’ Immingham port chaplain Fr. Colum Kelly met the Ukrainian crew of a coal bulker when it arrived at the port a few days ago. The 23 crew members had been at sea for over a month and only found out about the situation in Crimea after watching television. “It came as a massive shock to them and needless to say they were very anxious and desperate to talk to their families back home. It became paramount that they establish contact with their loved ones as soon as possible,” said Fr. Colum. Fr.

A new range of resources for schools to introduce children to shipping and the lives of seafarers has been launched. Written by teachers and produced by the seafarers’ charity Apostleship of the Sea (AoS), in association with Ten Ten Theatre, the resources are aimed at KS2 and KS3 students. The downloadable resources include lesson plans and assemblies that are both easy to use and engaging for students. Powerpoints and teacher guidance notes are included. Each lesson follows a simple structure and includes clear objectives and learning outcomes.

On Thursday, July 4, IMO Secretary–General  Mr. Koji Sekimizu joined Tilbury’s Apostleship of the Sea port chaplain, Deacon Paul Glock and National Director Martin Foley, for some ship visiting and to see first-hand the work of seafarers’ charity Apostleship of the Sea. Together they visited two container ships that were in the port that day. They spent time listening to the crew who shared their experiences of life at sea in the twenty-first century. Mr. Sekimizu also heard from Deacon Glock of the breadth of his day to day work supporting seafarers…

The challenges faced by seafarers whilst working on board ships has been highlighted in a short film by Harriet Grecian about the work of seafarer welfare organization Apostleship of the Sea. The video offers a candid view of life at sea and how AoS provides pastoral and practical support to seafarers in difficulties. While ship visiting, AoS Tyne port chaplain, Paul Atkinson speaks to crewmembers about their jobs, which often involves eight-hour days, seven days a week and up to a year at sea.

Apostleship of the Sea (AoS) Cebu port chaplain has spoken of the devastation caused by the typhoon and efforts to provide assistance. Across the globe the charity’s port chaplains have come out in full force to support Filipino seafarers and fishing communities affected by Typhoon Haiyan. “It was only when I arrived on the island that I saw the extent of the damage for myself; almost all the houses have collapsed, trees have been uprooted and debris is all over the place. It is in the provinces of Cebu that you really get a sense of the destruction caused by the typhoon…

Maritime charity, the Apostleship of the Sea has called for a major change in the way seafarers and fishermen are treated by government authorities when they are the victims of unscrupulous owners. The recent case of 75 Indonesian fishermen illustrates what the Apostleship of the Sea says is a heavy-handed and ill thought out process. Local media have reported on the slave-like conditions endured by the 75 Indonesian fishermen stranded in Cape Town harbor for the last month. Many of the crew had not been paid for two years by the Taiwanese owners and were forced to continue to work…

Apostleship of the Sea volunteer ship visitor Joe McHugh has been awarded an OBE (Order of the British Empire medal) for his services to radioactive substances regulation and also for his voluntary services to the community. For many years Dr McHugh has worked in the Radioactive Substances Regulation department at the Environment Agency’s headquarters in Bristol working to ensure radioactive material is used and disposed of properly throughout England. The 59-year-old married…

The Apostleship of the Sea (AoS) welcomes the repatriation of the stranded crew of the Donald Duckling, a ship detained in the River Tyne for the past seven weeks. The seafarers’ welfare organization has been providing practical support to the crew of the vessel since it was arrested on November 12 last year. Apart from the ship’s captain and its chief engineer, all the crew - including 11 Filipino crewmembers who flew home on the afternoon of January 9 - have now gone back home. “There were mixed emotions.

Pope Francis has addressed the Regional Coordinators of the Apostleship of the Sea (AoS) who are meeting in Rome this week. The meeting is organized by the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, which coordinates the activities of AoS worldwide. The gathering will discuss the work of AoS worldwide and how to better communicate its ministry within AoS’ global organization, to seafarers and to the wider Catholic community. At the end of the audience he greeted Sr. Mary Leahy, regional coordinator for Oceania and Fr.