Mission to Seafarers

 As a predominantly sea-going travel company, Noble Caledonia has an interest in the welfare of seafarers. Not only our own crew, for which we have a crew retention rate of 90%, but for crew welfare globally. This is why NCCT started a modest fixed monthly donation to the Mission to Seafarers, a UK based crew welfare organisation, in 2022.

 The history of The Mission to Seafarers dates back to 1835 when a young Anglican clergyman holidaying near the Bristol Channel, the Revd John Ashley, realised that the seafarers who manned the ships there had no one to minister to them. He decided to change his plans to join a parish immediately and become a chaplain for crews who sailed the merchant fleet.

 Over 180 years later and The Mission to Seafarers has grown to become one of the largest sea port-based welfare operators in the world. In 2021 they carried out over 30,000 ship visits. encountering over 170,000 seafarers on board their vessels and dealt with 6,623 welfare cases assisting seafarers and their families.

 They have frequently been at the forefront in responding to tragedy and disaster at sea, in modern times as in older days. That is one reason why they prioritise effective training in mental health first aid and trauma first response. Beyond that, however, they believe that mental well-being and happiness play a major role in ship safety. Many accidents result in one form or another from human error – and tiredness, stress, and anxiety make that much more likely.

As a Captain once said in that oft-repeated line about the Mission:

“Happy seafarers make good seafarers, happy seafarers make safe seafarers. You make seafarers happy. Thank you.”

 Mission to Seafarers remain absolutely committed to the very best in emergency welfare response.

More than that, they remain absolutely committed to supporting seafarer well-being, not least as their contribution to the safest possible environment for crew. Like us all, we want seafarers to return home happy, fulfilled and uninjured.