Introduction: With the support of the International Port Welfare Partnership (IPWP) project (portwelfare.org), this seminar brought together those interested in seafarers’ welfare in the Caribbean area. The IPWP is a project by ISWAN and the UK Merchant Navy Welfare Board to encourage and support the establishment of welfare boards and port welfare committees worldwide, in accordance with ILO MLC, 2006. These committees provide the forum for maritime organisations to regularly meet and support port welfare services and facilities in improving seafarers’ lives. This IPWP 2-day seminar was hosted in North America by NAMMA in Tampa, Florida, March 5-6. Representatives of industry, labor, government, the media, and welfare providers from ports in the Caribbean, Bermuda, and nearby United States were welcomed. The goals of the seminar were to strengthen partnerships for port-based welfare service, share best practice, and plant the seeds for additional work for seafarers’ welfare in the future.

Read more about the conference at The MARE Report.

Location: Tampa, Florida, United States
Hotel and Conference center: The Barrymore Hotel Tampa Riverwalk.

Schedule:
March 5
1 p.m. – Start of Seminar
1 p.m. – Seminar Introduction – Jason Zuidema, Steve Finnesy
1:10 p.m. – Welcome – John T. Thorington, Jr. – Vice President of Government Affairs and Board Coordination, Port Tampa
1:20 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. – Session 1 – Setting Up and Managing a Port Welfare Committee

  • Introduction – Roger Harris, ISWAN and chair IPWP executive committee
  • Sharon Coveney/Rebecca Stalker/Peter Tomlin, Merchant Navy Welfare Board
  • Presentation of Port Welfare Committee training video (produced by NAMMA and funded by the IPWP project in association with ISWAN, MNWB, ICMA, and the Southern Port Welfare Committee (UK)
  • Small group discussion on Port Welfare Committees and local port partnerships

2:45 – 3:15 p.m. – Coffee break
3:15 – 5 p.m. – Session 2 – Using New Technology to organize port-based welfare provision

  • Introduction: Jason Zuidema
  • Peter Tomlin, MNWB, using the IPWP database and app to empower port welfare committees

March 6

(7:00 a.m. – Ecumenical prayer for Ash Wednesday – Rev. Marsh Drege)

9 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. – Session 3 – Port-Based Seafarers’ Welfare Provision in the Caribbean: Resources and Challenges

10:15 – 10:45 – Coffee break
10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – Session 4 – Partnerships to benefit seafarers’ welfare in the Caribbean

  • Vice Admiral Brian Salerno (ret.), Senior Vice President, Maritime Policy, CLIA
  • CDR Anthony R. Migliorini, Prevention Department Head, United States Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg, Florida
  • Tony Sasso, ITF Inspector

1 p.m. – End of Seminar

Confirmed Presence:

  • Rev. Marsh Drege, Seafarers International House, New York, NY
  • Lesley Warrick, Seafarers’ House, Ft Lauderdale
  • Roger Harris, ISWAN, Croyden, UK
  • Sharon Emerson, Corpus Christi International Seamen’s Center, Corpus Christi, TX
  • Lilliam Alvarado, Seafarers’ House, San Juan, Puerto Rico
  • Sharon Joubert, Seafarers’ House, San Juan, Puerto Rico
  • Stuart Rivers, Sailors’ Society, Southampton, UK
  • Rebecca Stalker, Merchant Navy Welfare Board, Southampton, UK
  • Peter Tomlin, Merchant Navy Welfare Board, Southampton, UK
  • Sharon Coveney, Merchant Navy Welfare Board, Southampton, UK
  • Douglas Stevenson, Center for Seafarers’ Rights, SCI NY/NY
  • Rev. Canon Andrew Wright, The Mission to Seafarers, London, UK
  • Cdr Anthony R. Migliorini, Prevention Department Head, USCG Sector St. Petersburg
  • Dr. Jason Zuidema, NAMMA/ICMA
  • Steve Finnesy, Tampa Seafarers’ Center
  • Fr. Bruno Ciceri, Apostolatus Maris, The Vatican
  • Fr. Lito Capeding, Apostleship of the Sea, Mobile, AL
  • Deacon John Archer, Apostleship of the Sea, Mobile, AL
  • Ilya Cherapau, Bermuda Sailors Home
  • Monroe Fauntleroy, Tampa Port Ministries
  • Chuck Dewing, Tampa Port Ministries
  • Joan Dewing, Tampa Port Ministries
  • Faith Steinmeyer, Tampa Port Ministries
  • Capt. Bernt Koning, Rotterdam, NL
  • Deacon Paul Rosenblum, Charleston AOS
  • Vice Admiral Brian Salerno, USCG (ret.), Vice President, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA)
  • Denis Côté, Saguenay, QC
  • Tony Sasso, International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF)
  • Fr. Sanford Sears, Seafarers’ House, Ft. Lauderdale
  • Anmati Sukhan, Seafarers’ House, Ft. Lauderdale
  • Rev. Stephen Cushing, New England Seafarers’ Ministry, Boston, MA
  • Sharon Cushing, New England Seafarers’ Ministry, Boston, MA
  • Trish Alligood, Anchor House, Port Manatee, FL
  • Josh Palmer , Canaveral Port Ministry, Canaveral, Florida
  • Media: Taylor Dolven, Miami Herald
  • Rev. Eric Phinney, Saint John Seafarers Mission
  • Val Phinney, Saint John Seafarers Mission
  • Richard Grimball, Charleston Port & Seafarers Society