by Jason Zuidema (NAMMA) On a bright Houston morning, a group of maritime ministry students gathered at the new home of the Houston Norwegian Church (Sjømannskirken) at 12211 Memorial Drive, on property graciously owned by Christ The King Lutheran Church. The Sjømannskirken is part of the global International Christian Maritime Association, so students from other […]

Dow Academic Center – Lake Jackson, Texas – 26 February 2026 Five hundred supporters gathered at the Dow Academic Center in Lake Jackson for the Annual Texas Port Ministry Fundraising Banquet, an evening filled with gratitude, generosity, and a shared commitment to the people of the Freeport Harbor community. Guests enjoyed excellent food, efficient service, […]

On February 23, during the Houston Training, we were honored by the presence of Bishop Frank Schuster, Stella Maris Bishop Promoter for the United States. His participation brought both pastoral encouragement and theological depth to the gathering. Speaking first at Morning Prayer, he reflected on the Gospel of Jesus walking on the water and connected […]

From February 22 to 27, the North American Maritime Ministry Association’s Houston training was back in full strength. Officially known as the Introduction to Seafarers Welfare and Maritime Ministry course, the program gathered a remarkable group of students from across the globe for a week of learning, reflection, and fellowship in one of the world’s […]

by Jason Zuidema (NAMMA) Listen to the original interview here: The Port of Brownsville sits at the end of a 17-mile channel, built in 1936 with funds meant to lift the region out of the Great Depression. It is a working port—steel slab, coil steel, cement, windmill blades—much of it destined for northern Mexico. It […]

by Jason Zuidema (NAMMA) It was a beautiful day in Corpus Christi when I stopped in to visit the Corpus Christi International Seafarers Center. The sun was bright over the bay, and the breeze carried that unmistakable sense of a working waterfront. I was only passing through, but I was received with warmth and generosity […]

by Jason Zuidema (NAMMA) In January 2026, the International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN) published Phase 3 of its Social Interaction Matters (SIM) project, authored by Dr. Kate Pike, Director of Field Research Limited. Funded by the UK Department for Transport through the Trinity House Maritime Charity Department for Transport Fund, and supported by […]

The count down is on for this year’s highly anticipated CMA Shipping 2026 conference and exhibition taking place from 10–12 March 2026 at the Hilton Stamford Hotel in Stamford, Connecticut. Organised by the Connecticut Maritime Association (CMA) and Informa Markets, this flagship event is set to bring together the most influential voices in the maritime industry for […]

by Jason Zuidema (NAMMA) At the Mariners’ Workshop of the Shipping Federation of Canada held at the Marriott Montreal Chateau Champlain on January 29, the theme “Enhancing the Human-Tech Balance in the Age of E-Navigation” set the tone for a candid discussion about what technology is doing to life at sea. The panel on Seafarer […]