Report: Vessel Fees for Seafarer Welfare in United States Ports (2025): Status, Opportunity, and Guidance

Committed to its mission to “provide a framework to support and assist port chaplains and others
in their ministry to the spiritual, moral, human rights, and physical concerns of mariners and all
others in the maritime community,” the North American Maritime Ministry Association (NAMMA)
has conducted a research project into resources available to and used by entities providing
seafarer welfare in United States ports. This report on the collection vessel fees for seafarer
welfare is a result of that project.
While fees, tariffs, and levies paid and collected based on a vessel’s use of a port are
commonplace and universally accepted by most parties in United States ports, the collection of
monies by parties engaged in seafarer welfare is relatively rare. This is in spite of the fact that
parties attending to the personal welfare of seafarers contribute directly to the success of the port
by focusing on those at the heart of the maritime economy—seafarers.
Drawing from data collected from the 16 entities currently collecting revenue, the report first
considers factors related to vessel fees: publication and communication of vessel fees; mandatory
or voluntary nature of vessel fees; additional support from the maritime community; ship agent
impact on vessel fees. Since the majority of entities providing seafarer welfare in U.S. ports are
not supported with vessel fees, insight from leaders at several of these entities provide insight
into plans and perceptions about vessel fees.
The report then provides an overview of the opportunities both to establish vessel fees in ports
where they are not being collected and to increase the revenue generated in those ports where
fees are established. The report concludes by providing guidance in areas that impact the success
of vessel fees: port economy posture; professional and personal relationships; processor and
process.
Appendices provide redacted sections from tariffs related to seafarer welfare vessel fees;
redacted invoices currently in use at six ports; and full descriptions of the 16 entities collecting
revenue.

Publication date: 24 October 2025

About the Author: Dr. Christopher A. Graham serves as the Assistant Director of the North American Maritime Ministry Association (NAMMA). Dr. Graham completed his undergraduate studies at the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York. He earned a Th.M. and a Ph.D. in Theological Studies from Dallas Theological Seminary. Dr. Graham welcomes inquiries about this report or other matters related to seafarer welfare and can be reached at christopher.graham@namma.org.

The North American Maritime Ministry Association (NAMMA) is an ecumenical, Christian association of individuals and affiliated organizations involved in maritime ministry throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Established in 1932, NAMMA provides networking, professional development and advocacy for its members. NAMMA also serves as the North American region of the International Christian Maritime Association (ICMA). This report, as well as other resources related to seafarer welfare, can be found in the Resources section of the NAMMA website at namma.org.