Background
The Covid pandemic led to restrictions on travel and social interactions, which severely impacted ships’ crews serving New Zealand. Seafarers often couldn’t be relieved at the end of long contracts, and their ability to go ashore for essentials or to simply stretch their legs was severely limited.
The country’s largely volunteer-run seafarers’ welfare centres and organisations were not well-equipped to meet these changing needs. The Seafarers’ Welfare Board for New Zealand (SWB) (of which Sailors’ Society NZ is an active member) arranged a grant through Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) to employ Welfare Officers in major ports. Despite minor issues, this arrangement worked well.
Post-Covid, it became clear that seafarers’ welfare services couldn’t revert to their previous state. MNZ decided to offer contestable grants funded through the Maritime Levy, starting on 1 September 2024 for an initial 10-month period.
Sailors’ Society Changes
In 2023, the incorporated society (international Sailors Society New Zealand Inc) was wound up and a charitable trust was formed to continue the work of the Sailors’ Society in New Zealand. Anticipating the coming changes and to be prepared for the MNZ grant scheme, the society established a charitable company, Maritime Welfare Ltd, to deliver services should bids be successful. {The trustees felt a company would be more agile and better separate service delivery (in competition with other welfare providers) from advocacy and participation in national and international forums.}
The company was successful in its bids to provide services in Auckland, Picton, and Bluff.
AUCKLAND
Sailors’ Society NZ is a member, with the Auckland branches of Mission to Seafarers and Stella Maris in the Auckland International Seafarers’ Centre. Under its contract with MNZ, SWB provided the services of three chaplains to provide welfare services including ship-visiting, shopping (during Covid), and other services, including opening and manning the centre when restrictions allowed.
Maritime Welfare Ltd and the Board of the Auckland Seafarers Centre agreed that if its bid was successful, the company would take over the functions previously undertaken by SWB employing Welfare Officers and managing the day to day work of the centre.
Rev Aaron Ironside, the society’s National Chaplain and the National Welfare Manager for the company, is the Centre Manager, the three chaplains, including Rev Dr Noel Cox (Mission to Seafarers Auckland) and David Hincho (Sailors’ Society), providing the chaplaincy and welfare services.
PICTON
A small volunteer team led by local GP, Dr Jan Shapcott, provides welfare services to ships at the log berth in Shakespeare Bay. A small office on the wharf is provided by Port Marlborough Ltd and opened by the team when ships are in port. The team is supported locally by the Picton Baptist Church. Maritime Welfare Ltd provides financial support from a MNZ grant while general support is provided by the society or company as appropriate
BLUFF
An office by the main port gate is provided by SouthPort Ltd and maintained by a very small local team. The office is unmanned but is available 24/7. The company provides mobile WIFI units from the MNZ grant. These are maintained and supplied to the ships in port by SouthPort marine staff. The society is in discussions with some local churches with the aim of increasing the services which can be offered in Bluff.