This past month we were saddened to learn that AOS will be losing Deacon David Williams in the Port of Jacksonville. He recently took over the reigns from Deacon Gjet Bajraktari, but has been with AOS for several years.

The good news is that he will still be helping AOS as his office will help provide oversight to AOS for the Diocese.

Deacon David recently wrote to say: "Our bishop has asked me to take the position in his Curia as director of Pastoral Services for the diocese. 

Many good memories and friendships have been made among the seafarers and shoremen, and it's been a joy to serve in this ministry these past six years. The Apostleship of the Sea will never be far from my heart or view as it is one of the ministries for which I will provide oversight on behalf of the bishop.

Milton Vega has been appointed as the new director for the AOS-JAX port ministry. Milton is currently in formation toward ordination as a deacon for the Diocese of St. Augustine (ordination in December 2015), and has been working as a maritime minister for the last couple years.

As the new director for AOS-JAX, I recommend that he joins AOS-USA. 
 

It's been a pleasure to get to know everyone. I wish you fair winds and following seas in your ministry and service.

God Love You,

Deacon David

Please Join us in Welcoming Milton Vega to the AOS Team and in thanking Deacon David for his years of service to the People of the Sea!

Courtesy: Sidelights Magazine

By: Fr. Sinclair K. Oubre, JCL
 

Christile LeJunie and Commander Jacqueline Twomey are all smiles after Commander Twomey receives Christile's Merchant Marine Oath. (Photo courtesy of MSU Port Arthur.)

You may remember that recently I wrote that the second Sunday of July is designated in the Christian maritime ministry community as Sea Sunday. Well, I was able to sign off the Crowley Maritime tug Ocean Sky just in time to get back to St. Joseph Parish, and hold our local Apostleship of the Sea's Sea Sunday Mass. 

As part of the service, I stressed to the congregation that our local petrochemical industry was intimately tied to the seafarers, both US and foreign, who keep our refineries running, and who carry our products throughout the United States and the world.

I continued by explaining that since Port Arthur was once the homeport for the Texaco, Gulf, Pure Oil, Sabine Towing, and Sinclair fleets, we were once one of the leading labor-supplying cities in the United States. However, because of mergers and flagging out, the doorways for merchant marine employment have closed, and moved to other cities.

I stressed to the congregation that now there is almost no one in our city who is still employed as a merchant mariner, and that the memory of the great officers and crews is quickly dying out. However, I continued by stating that there is a great need for a future generation of US mariners to replace our aging workforce, and to meet the opportunities of new tonnage.

At the end of Mass, many folks expressed their appreciation that they did not realize how important Port Arthur and the Sabine-Neches Waterway were to our nation, and that there were such opportunities available for careers with family wages. 

What was surprising though was that the next week, I received two phone calls expressing interest in additional information about maritime opportunities, and how one becomes a merchant mariner, and gain the training that is needed for this special career. 

Since July, I have worked with Christile LeJunie and Cory Lockett. I have guided them through their TWIC application process, walked them through the MMC application process, the entry-level physicals and drug tests, and made arrangements with our local MSU-Port Arthur so that Capt. Ogryzdiak or Commander Twomey could receive these two candidates' Merchant Marine oaths.

As of this writing, Christile has received her MMC with ordinary seaman, wiper, and food handler endorsements. She has also submitted her application to the Seafarers' Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship, and will be taking her basic knowledge test this week. Cory will be taking his entry level physical and drug test soon, and will then submit his application to REC Houston.

As a priest, we are constantly being reminded that we are all vocation directors, and that we have to take affirmative action in inviting young men to consider a life of service to Jesus Christ and his Church. When one thinks about it, the same rule applies to us in the merchant marine. 

I have frequently heard stories of OSV captains warning their children not to become "boat trash," but instead go and get an education and a good job. This is very similar to some priests who are so disappointed with their own vocation that they discourage young men from following in their footsteps. Is there any surprise that we have problems recruiting the next generation of merchant mariners, if all we do is concentrate on what we dislike about the industry? 

I believe that we can only feel that our careers are completely successful when we can look back, and see that we have recruited our replacement. I am still working on recruiting the young man who will replace me as a priest, but I am pleased to know that I now have been able to recruit three young people to follow me as merchant mariners.

Courtesy: Maritime Executive

15 December 2014

Missing Seafarers Reporting Programme Introduction

The Missing Seafarers Reporting Programme is the flagship program brought to the international and maritime communities by the Human Rights at Sea (HRAS) organization, first conceived as of 12 September 2014 by its founder, David Hammond.

It aims to primarily support seafarers and their families on a global basis through the online registration of seafarers and fishermen missing at sea via an independent international platform, the Missing Seafarers Register.

The register, as it evolves, will become an international multi-lingual online platform for registering, tracking, updating, profiling and raising awareness of missing seafarers and fishermen on a global basis. It will be aimed at being used by multiple stakeholders, including family members, employers of missing seafarers, NGOs, flag states, insurers, individual governments and the UN (under the auspices of the IMO) for their awareness and where applicable, their intervention and investigation. 

Since its launch, HRAS has been variously approached by international welfare organizations, international lawyers and human rights activists highlighting the issue of seafarers and fishermen lost at sea.

HRAS already has several cases of missing seafarers on its books accompanied by requests for support and investigations, says Hammond. These cases are currently being investigated by HRAS.

The global scale of the issue remains unknown, and Hammond has worked with organisations such as the Apostleship of the Sea, the Mission to Seafarers, Seafarers UK, the UK Fishermen's Mission, the Maritime Piracy Humanitarian Response Programme and IMB, to develop the concept.

The aim of the Missing Seafarers Reporting Programme through the use of the Missing Seafarers Register, is to build an accurate international database of seafarers and fishermen missing at sea on a global basis.

Additionally, where requested and where privately funded, HRAS will seek to assist in the gathering of evidence and conduct investigations into the disappearance and suspected murder of seafarers through its partnership with Globus Maritime Investigation Service.

"The program will also support ongoing international awareness of the broader matter of seafarers' welfare and the issues they face such as the withholding of wages, confiscation of identification documents, inhumane working conditions and other human rights abuses. This will be undertaken in concert with existing seafarers organizations and programs," says Hammond.

The Missing Seafarers Register will take the form of an independent on-line platform. It will be made available via http://www.missingseafarers.org and http://www.missingseaman.org, and will also be accessible from the HRAS website once officially launched in January 2015.

It is envisaged that the users of the Missing Seafarers Register will be:
1) Family members - to register a missing family member.
2) Colleagues of missing seafarers - to register and update the status of missing seafarers.
3) Employers - awareness, profiling and support to families - development of tracking policies and assurance for seafarers' welfare.
4) Insurers - to review, update and utilize information in support of payments to missing seafarers' estates where appropriate.
5) National constabulary entities - for conducting investigations, as appropriate.
6) International investigative organizations - for conducting investigations, as appropriate.
7) Flag states - for conducting investigations as appropriate and for evaluative statistical purposes.
8) Port state authorities - for awareness, profiling and monitoring of seafarers within port state control.
9) Governments - for general awareness, profile of seafarers' issues, factual statistics and support to seafarers' welfare entities.
10) NGOs and Civil Society organizations - for general awareness, profiling of seafarers' issues, factual statistics and support to seafarers' welfare entities.
11) HRAS - as part of the growing suite of professional services and international projects run in support of the HRAS aim and objectives.

Courtesy: AOS Great Britain

12 December 2014

Catholic seafarers' charity Apostleship of the Sea (AoS) is responding to the pastoral needs of a group of seafarers after a seafarer died on their ship.

A 42-year-old Russian electrician was reported missing earlier in the week.  He had gone overboard and died, leaving a wife and two daughters. An autopsy had taken place in Spain, whilst the ship had briefly docked there. 

The ship arrived in Tilbury late on Thursday night and was visited by the port chaplains from the Apostleship of the Sea and the German Seaman's Mission. 

The vessel's crew was distraught and anxious in the aftermath of their colleague's death.  AoS chaplain Wojciech Holub visited the seafarers on board and provided much needed support and assistance.

AoS' port chaplain in Tilbury also conducted a memorial service on the vessel after receiving a request from the crew and was on hand as the ship sailed early on the Friday morning.

The AoS port chaplain also provided the crew with details of AoS chaplains in other ports around the world for support in the weeks and months ahead.

Deacon Patrick LaPoint, 3rd from right, with members of the Knights of Columbus who helped install the new flag pole.

Deacon Patrick LaPoint recently had a flag pole installed at the Lake Charles Seafarers' Center, thanks to the hard work of the local Knights of Columbus.

The pole was installed in memory of Herman and Maria Verkruissen, who worked together to serve seafarers for over 49 years. They were faithful supporters of the Lake Charles Center, and were true friends of seafarers! 

Seafarers' charity Apostleship of the Sea is enhancing cooperation among its global network of port chaplains to better support seafarers.

A regional coordinators meeting in Mauritius late last month saw the exchange of knowledge and expertise between port chaplains from Great Britain, East Africa, South Africa and the Indian Ocean.

AoS Immingham port chaplain Fr Colum Kelly from Great Britain was invited by the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People to give five presentations at the conference.

"My remit was to encourage the participants and help them deepen their understanding of their chaplaincy," said Fr Colum.

"In addition to sharing our experiences and knowledge with one another we also discussed the importance of taking time for self- reflection, and how we as port chaplains need to prepare for our 'voyage of chaplaincy' to better assist seafarers," he added.

AoS Great Britain National Director Martin Foley said, "This is a great example of the international cooperation we agreed to undertake at the AoS World Congress in 2012. The sharing of our respective knowledge, experiences and strengths will benefit everyone associated with AoS and, by extension, further improve our service to seafarers."

One of the delegates, AoS South Africa National Director Terry Whitfield said, "The conference was enriched with the presence of Fr Colum. His talks were both interesting and thought-provoking, and with his own practical experience it left us all with a new commitment."

Another port chaplain, AoS Madagascar National Director Felix Randriabnasoavina said Fr Colum's sharing helped him deepen his commitment to AoS and to serve seafarers.

Last year, Fr Colum was given an award in honour of his outstanding contribution to the life of the port of Immingham as part of the port's 100 year celebrations.

His work with seafarers was also featured in a BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week titled Deepsea and Foreign Going: Inside Shipping, the Invisible Industry that Brings You 90% of Everything by author Rose George.

Never one to rest on his laurels, Fr Colum turned his work with seafarers into a 'mobile' operation after the seafarers centre in Immingham was destroyed following last year's tidal surge.

Spotlighting the importance of the cooperation of Port Chaplains, recently, Fr. Sinclair Oubre was contacted by the Intergulf 101 to bless the new vessel. He was unavailable, but asked Deacon Allan Frederiksen with AOS Houston to bless it.

The Intergulf 101 was at the Dupont Facility in Houston on an unusually cold day in November. But the vessel was blessed and all were appreciative for Deacon Allan's blessings upon them.

The philanthropic business magnate, Sir Richard Branson, is assisting YachtAid Global in delivering supplies to kids and families in St. Maarten for post Hurricane Gonzalo relief using his yacht Necker Belle.

On 14 October 2014, Hurricane Gonzalo raced through St. Maarten. The people of St. Maarten were expecting a tropical storm and, only 30 minutes prior to landfall received notice the storm had grown into a Category 3 hurricane. With very little preparation time, the island residents did not have proper protection in place as the storm swept over the island.

Learning of this and set to attend the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, YachtAid Global Volunteer Event Advisor, Dhardra Blake, sought out which yachts would be headed South after the show and could assist in delivering much needed supplies to either St. Maarten or Antigua.

"YAG's mission simply is to seek out and find like-minded captains and owners to participate in our humanitarian efforts," says Blake. "There are so many yachts which travel close to areas in need, whatever the cause. It's our suggestion to deploy private yachts as a transport vehicle for donated aid and relief supplies. With YAG assisting in disaster relief, literally any region is accessible." Blake has been volunteering for YachtAid Global since 2009.

Jessica Price from H20 Yachtwear connected Blake with Captain Beez Evans of theNecker Belle who was keen to assist and participate in his first YAG delivery. With a short turnaround time prior to the yacht's departure from Rybovich Superyacht Marina, relief aid supplies were solicited from local yachting industry firms including Yacht Chandlers, Medical Offshore Support Limited, MedAire and The Ditch Kit. 

Yacht Chandlers generously picked up the donations from YAG's donated storage facility at RoboVault in Ft. Lauderdale and arranged delivery to the yacht at Rybovich Superyacht Marina in West Palm Beach. A team of volunteers then transferred the supplies to Necker Belle. IGY Marinas in St Maarten is also donating a slip for the offloading of aid/supplies as well as an overnight stay for the crew.

"Working with YAG on disaster relief is a welcome opportunity for us and a meaningful philanthropic endeavor," says Evans of Necker Belle.

Mark Drewelow, Founder of YachtAid Global, remarks, "YachtAid Global is proud to be able to be able to assist quickly and efficiently with aid to disaster areas. We are still seeking more yachts to deliver needed supplies to Antigua which was also affected by Hurricane Gonzalo, and would like to assist the island in preparation for the 2014 Antigua Charter Show coming up in a few weeks."

Courtesy: Zenit.org

21 November 2014