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Retired master mariner Nick Farley spoke to the Port of Savannah’s Propeller Club on Thursday about an issue that’s close to his heart — the welfare of merchant sailors far from home and the need in Savannah for a port welfare committee.
“By last count, 41 signatories representing 75 percent of global shipping tonnage have ratified the Maritime Labor Convention, more commonly known as the ‘Seafarers Bill of Rights,’” Farley told the group assembled at the Pirates’ House for the their first monthly meeting of the year.
While the convention hasn’t yet been ratified by the United States, a number of U.S. interests are involved through the International Transport Workers Federation.
Founded in 1896, the ITF has more than 650 member organizations — including the International Longshoremens Association — in 148 countries, representing a combined membership of 4.5 million workers, Farley said.
The group recently sponsored a comprehensive study of the need for more seafarers welfare, he said.
“From all this data, they have compiled a list of recommendations, including the need to establish a committee dedicated to seafarers’ welfare at every port,” he said.
The most effective committee would be one that included a wide range of maritime interests — port authorities, shipping companies, maritime organizations, crewing agents, the harbor master, Coast Guard, Customs and port police, Farley said.
“According to the Coast Guard, about 3,600 ships crewed by about 90,000 merchant sailors called on the Port of Savannah in 2012,” Farley said “We should be drawing pride, not only in the number of containers handled but also the safety and welfare of all those involved — including those whose job it is to bring those containers here.”
Andy Krey understands the needs of those mariners, many of whom have only a four- to six-hour window of free time when in port.
In those few hours, the vast majority are looking for three things, according to Krey, chaplain at the Port of Savannah’s Maritime Bethel.
“The first thing they want is just to get off the ship for a few hours, to get their feet on solid ground,” he said. “The second is a way to connect with loved ones back home, either through phone calls or email.
“Finally, they want someone to pray with them, to bless them and to listen to their worries and concerns — whether it’s a sick relative back home, a stressful situation on the ship or a harrowing experience traveling through pirate-infested waters.”
To help meet those needs, Krey’s local ministry — with support from Bible Lutheran Church in Rincon, the Rotary Club of Savannah West and a small core of volunteers — has established a Bethel, a small frame house just outside the gates of Garden City Terminal that can serve as a sanctuary for those few hours away from the ship.
“We now have eight different nonprofits here in Savannah working with the seafarers, but we think it’s time for the entire maritime community to come together to help these nonprofits serve the human beings that bring the cargo here,” Krey said.
To learn more the Maritime Bethel at Savannah and how you can help, contact Krey at Chaplainkrey@gmail.com or call 912-826-0206.
For information on the study on seafarers welfare, go to http://bit.ly/1d4fRof.
Senior business writer Mary Carr Mayle covers the ports for Savannah Morning News and Savannahnow. Reach her at 912-652-0324 or mary.mayle@savannahnow.com.
Following are the ships expected to call on Georgia Ports Authority’s Garden City and Ocean terminals this week. Schedules are supplied by GPA and are subject to change.
TERMINAL VESSEL ETA
GCT HS BRUCKNER Today
GCT APL ANTWERP Today
GCT MSC VANESSA Today
GCT MAERSK ROUBAIX Today
GCT MAERSK UTAH Today
OT C.S. DREAM Today
GCT APL BELGIUM Saturday
GCT SAIGON EXPRESS Saturday
GCT MOL ENDEAVOR Saturday
GCT YORKTOWN EXPRESS Saturday
GCT NYK DELPHINUS Saturday
GCT STUTTGART EXPRESS Saturday
GCT GREENWICH BRIDGE Saturday
GCT DALIAN EXPRESS Saturday
GCT MSC SHAULA Saturday
GCT YM SINGAPORE Sunday
GCT HANJIN NAGOYA Sunday
OT BAHRI TABUK Sunday
GCT MSC JUDITH Monday
GCT CAFER DEDE Monday
GCT HANJIN MALTA Monday
GCT HOECHST EXPRESS Monday
GCT DALLAS EXPRESS Monday
GCT CMA CGM FIGARO Monday
OT ANIARA Monday
GCT ZIM QINGDAO Tuesday
GCT EVER DEVELOP Tuesday
GCT MSC TOKYO Tuesday
GCT NYK CLARA Tuesday
GCT MAERSK CHICAGO Tuesday
OT GRANDE MAROCCO Tuesday
GCT MOL PRECISION Wednesday
GCT HYUNDAI GOODWILL Wednesday
GCT CSAV LLANQUIHUE Wednesday
GCT CMA CGM MATISSE Wednesday
GCT GUANG DONG BRIDGE Wednesday
GCT ISLANDIA Wednesday
GCT APL TURQUOISE Wednesday
GCT DUESSELDORF EXPRESS Wednesday
GCT UASC DOHA Wednesday
GCT ZIM SHANGHAI Thursday
GCT MAERSK CAROLINA Thursday
GCT CSAV LUMACO Thursday
GCT MSC HEIDI Thursday
GCT HANJIN ELIZABETH Thursday
GCT WARNOW ORCA Thursday
GCT NYK RIGEL Thursday
GCT NEDLLOYD MERCATOR Thursday