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December 2024
Dear Supporter,
Greetings and welcome to the December edition of Seapost, The Seafarers' Charity's e-newsletter! As we embrace the festive season, we extend our heartfelt gratitude for your unwavering support, which continues to make a profound difference in the lives of seafarers and their families.
While this time of year brings hope and joy for many, it also highlights the sacrifices of seafarers, who spend the season far from their loved ones. Through our Winter Appeal, we aim to ease these challenges by providing essential support for groceries, fuel bills, and gifts, helping families experience the warmth of the holidays despite their hardships. Your generosity can truly bring light to their lives!
Thanks to our donors' incredible support in 2024, we awarded over £2.6m in grants to 48 organisations, funding initiatives that improve the safety and wellbeing of seafarers worldwide.
Looking ahead, we invite you to tackle the 24 Peaks Challenge on 5–6 July in the breathtaking Lake District. This adventure is a chance to push your limits while raising much-needed funds for seafarers in need and their families.
We are also excited to be content partners of Oceans of Opportunity, a digital docuseries by IMarEST that celebrates seafarers' vital role in the Blue Economy.
At the International Maritime Human Factors Symposium, our Chief Executive championed psychological safety at sea and our commitment to diversity and inclusion, including the ISWAN Allyship campaign, which promotes safer working environments for all.
In the latest Sea Views podcast episode, Ben McInnes, Harbour Master at Portsmouth International Port, offers a fascinating look into managing safety at one of the UK’s busiest ports.
Finally, as of 23 December, new updates to the Maritime Labour Convention will enhance welfare for seafarers, including improved internet access and healthier onboard diets - critical steps forward inspired by lessons from the pandemic.
We wish you a joyful festive season filled with warmth and cheer. Thank you for your ongoing support and we look forward to continuing this journey together in the year ahead!
Best wishes,
Luca Selvaggio
Editor
While many of us spend time with our families this festive season, seafarers will be hard at work at sea—keeping our shelves stocked, ensuring vital supplies flow, and even delivering gifts—the real Santas!
The festive season is a time for hope and togetherness, but for many seafaring families, it brings an empty seat at the dinner table, making it a time of heightened loneliness.
Family and community are central to seafarers' wellbeing. This holiday season, your generosity can make all the difference. With your support, we can ease the seasonal stress many families face. Your donation will deliver the gift of hope, helping to provide essential assistance for groceries, fuel bills, and Christmas gifts for children to open on Christmas Day.
The impact of your support in 2024
Thanks to the incredible support of our loyal donors, in 2024, we awarded 64 grants totalling over £2.6m to support 48 organisations. This grant funding supports some of the largest and most well-known maritime charities, as well as some impactful newcomers, in the UK and globally.
Each grant application is assessed against our five strategic outcomes that are focused on improving the safety and wellbeing of seafarers and their families. We work closely with our delivery partners to ensure your donations are making a true impact where the need is the greatest.
Elevate your impact for seafarers!
Get ready to conquer 24 Peaks across the stunning Lake District. On 5–6 July, take on this unforgettable challenge in the breathtaking UNESCO World Heritage Site, covering up to 33 miles and a 13,000 ft ascent over two days. This is the ultimate test of endurance and teamwork, all while making a difference for seafarers in need and their families.
Highlighting Seafarers' Role in the Blue Economy
We are proud to be content partners of Oceans of Opportunity, a digital docuseries launched on 28 November by the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science & Technology. With this collaboration, we aim to inspire the maritime sector and seafarers to build a sustainable future for our oceans whilst addressing safety challenges and recognising the vital contributions of seafarers to the Blue Economy.
Hear from our Chief Executive, Deborah Layde, and Business Development Director, Temi Binitie FICS, as they discuss these crucial issues.
Promoting Safety and Inclusion at IMHFS 2024
On 28-29 November at the International Maritime Human Factors Symposium hosted at the International Maritime Organization HQ, our Chief Executive, Deborah Layde, delivered a keynote on Psychological Safety at Sea.
During her speech, she emphasised our EDI journey and the co-funded ISWAN Allyship campaign with UK P&I Club, which encourages calling out inappropriate behaviour to ensure everyone feels #SafeAtSea.
Our Impact Director, Tina Barnes, presented research on Fishing for a Future and Fishing Without a Safety Net, highlighting our efforts to raise the profile of fishing safety and welfare.
Safety In Focus at Portsmouth International Port
In this episode of Sea Views, Ben McInnes, Harbour Master at Portsmouth International Port, offers an exclusive insight into managing safety at one of the UK’s busiest harbours. He discusses overseeing diverse traffic, from ferries and cruises to superyachts, Royal Navy vessels, cargo ships, and fishing fleets, all while ensuring 24/7 safety for passengers, staff, and seafarers.
Ben also highlights emerging risks, including lithium battery fires, crew welfare, and the UK’s maritime decarbonisation efforts, spearheaded by Portsmouth City Council and the Department for Transport.
MLC Amendments to take effect from December 2024
The latest updates to the International Labour Organization's Maritime Labour Convention will come into effect on 23 December 2024.
Ratifying countries are required to comply with these new regulations, which focus on improving seafarer welfare. Key updates include ensuring seafarers have access to internet services while at sea and setting stronger requirements for balanced, nutritious diets onboard.
These amendments reflect lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic and aim to improve the health and wellbeing of seafarers globally.
Season's greetings
As the year draws to a close, we want to extend our heartfelt thanks to all our supporters who have contributed to our mission of making a positive impact on the lives of seafarers in need and their families. Your unwavering support has been invaluable, and we are deeply grateful for the difference you’ve made.
