Seafarers do a difficult and often dangerous job for seven days every week whilst on contract for up to eleven months at a stretch. They work in a hostile environment, separated from family and friends for very long periods, remote from their native life.

Vessels continue to increase in size, whilst the number of people needed to crew them is becoming less as shipboard technology becomes more sophisticated, and the pressure on operators to drive down running costs increases.

The wide mix of nationalities now manning the majority of ocean-going ships can result in seafarers often finding themselves socially isolated, even among their work colleagues. Their native tongue is often not the common language of communication onboard and, other than work instructions passed in a common tongue, there may be little informal conversation or social interaction among the crew. As a consequence, they will often feel lonely, unappreciated and become increasingly insular as they are cut off from a ‘normal’ existence.

Vessel turnarounds are now counted in hours, rather than days, and the effect of these fast turnarounds in port is to increase the demands and workload upon the seafarer, not improve their chance to spend personal time away from the ship.

The obligation upon port operators to adhere to the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, which is intended to improve security at ports worldwide, leads to additional responsibility upon the seafarer whilst in port, and puts even greater restriction on the chance for a few hours of continuous shore leave, to relax and enjoy those things that other people now take for granted.

All this means that the unconditional approach of our Chaplains when ship visiting is increasingly valued and they are treated as a friend among seafarers with special trusted status.

The Port Chaplain greeting the crew to offer phone cards and the opportunity for a chat about personal matters or offer a return lift to a Seafarers’ Centre to use its facilities brings some respite to the modern seafarer.