Serving Seafarers in Panama: An Interview with Andrea Meenken of the Deutsche Seemannsmission

During a recent visit to Panama, I had the opportunity to sit down with Andrea Meenken, who leads the work of the Deutsche Seemannsmission (German Seafarers’ Mission) in Panama which has partnered with The Mission to Seafarers Panama to form the Seafarers’ Mission Panama. In our conversation, Andrea shared how she first became involved in seafarers’ welfare, what it means to pioneer this ministry in a country best known for the Canal but lacking a strong welfare infrastructure, and the unique challenges and joys of serving seafarers in this part of the world. Her reflections highlight both the struggles faced by seafarers and the deep commitment of those who serve them.

Dr. Jason Zuidema (NAMMA): Could you introduce yourself?

Andrea Meenken: Andrea Meenken, Deutsche Seemannsmission, German Seafarers’ Mission.

Dr. Jason Zuidema (NAMMA): Can you tell us a bit about how you got involved in the German Seafarers’ Mission here in Panama?

Andrea Meenken: The German Seafarers’ Mission was granted financial support by the Ministry of Transport in Germany, and it was possible to establish a new mission. They were wondering which of all ports would be a good place. At that time, I was already in Panama, and I tried to make everything possible so that they would consider Panama. Panama is a super hub, and there is not much of a welfare or well-being service landscape in this region. So they decided to do this work here, and to do it with me.

Dr. Jason Zuidema (NAMMA): Can you tell me a bit about how you got involved in seafarers’ welfare originally? What was your first contact, and how did you end up here in Panama?

Andrea Meenken: I actually did an internship after I finished school in our church congregation, and I was able to do internships in several institutions of that church. The Seamen’s Hotel [in my city of Emden, Germany] was one of them, and that’s how I initially got in contact with the seafarers’ mission. That was in 1999. I’ve not always been active, but I’ve always been involved with seafarers, their well-being, and the developments in the seafaring industry.

Dr. Jason Zuidema (NAMMA): In the years you’ve been involved in the seafarers’ mission, what are some of the opportunities or developments that you’ve seen? Have things remained the same, or have there been new challenges in seafarers’ welfare?

Andrea Meenken: I think the internet and the possibilities it brings is a big change, though not only for good. Of course, connectivity is way better today than it was back then, or even ten years ago. However, it can also have something toxic and distracting. I think the advantages of digitalization are definitely more than the disadvantages, and I’m very happy whenever I hear a seafarer say, “We have Wi-Fi on board, and it’s actually working well for us.” Because the fact that a vessel has internet or good Wi-Fi doesn’t mean that everyone can really participate and have access.

In terms of exploitation, I see the same things that I saw back then. However, with the MLC[,2006] there are probably more options now for organizations like ours to have a legitimate part in the seafaring industry, and I think that’s a good process. Sometimes it’s a bit slow because some countries take their time—or don’t take it too seriously—like here in Panama. But overall, it’s a positive step.

Dr. Jason Zuidema (NAMMA): Can you do a compare and contrast between serving seafarers in Germany and serving seafarers here in Panama? What are the sorts of things you can do in Germany that you can’t do here—or vice versa?

Andrea Meenken: The first thing is that the Seafarers’ Mission—the ministry to seafarers, their well-being, and the support of seafarers’ dignity, as is the slogan of the German Seafarers’ Mission—is well established in Germany. Here, we are pioneers. The Mission to Seafarers started, and then Stella Maris joined in, but in Panama no one really cares for seafarers, even though the country is known worldwide for the Canal.

We have to explain ourselves again and again with every change of government. We knock on many doors, hold many meetings, but some doors never open. That is something really different from Germany. And then the level of security here is also very different. After 9/11, there were new restrictions in Germany, but here it is far more intense. For example, we have to use transparent plastic bags for our welcome packs—we cannot wrap Christmas presents, they must be see-through. We always open our backpacks at port entrances, and sometimes there are drug-sniffing dogs. The level of security here is much higher than in Germany.

Dr. Jason Zuidema (NAMMA): What’s the situation with shore leave? Do you have any shore-based facilities here in Panama? If not, why not?

Andrea Meenken: There is a seafarers’ center run by the Canal Engineers’ Union, with contributions from the Port Authority. However, it’s been closed since I arrived five years ago. So it doesn’t really exist for seafarers. We have considered opening something here, but geographically it’s complicated. We are in charge of both the Pacific and Atlantic sides, and it’s a one-and-a-half-hour drive between them. If we built something in one place, only seafarers from that terminal would benefit.

That’s why we focus instead on ship visits, transportation, and shopping services. Even if seafarers are allowed ashore, many can’t because Panama is such a busy port. And the shore leave situation is very complex. There are many reasons why seafarers don’t go ashore—often not corruption exactly, but a lack of will to do the necessary paperwork. Sometimes they are charged horrendous fees. If a seafarer gets a four-hour shore leave, two hours might be lost at the gate with paperwork, another hour in traffic—so in the end, how much time do they really get?

Dr. Jason Zuidema (NAMMA): You’ve outlined a number of challenges. But what about the joys? What keeps your passion alive in this work, and why is serving seafarers such a beautiful thing here in Panama and around the world?

Andrea Meenken: Actually, the challenges motivate us because seafarers are so worth it. When they ask me why I do this, I say, “Because you are doing everything you can. You are away from your families for such a long time. You risk your life every day, because it’s a very dangerous job you do, with so many sacrifices. Someone has to give something back to you.”

That’s mainly why I do it. Seafarers are often forgotten and unseen. We want to give them a voice, a face, and be there for them. And I think the challenges are exactly why we do this work—because they can’t do it on their own.

Dr. Jason Zuidema (NAMMA): Thank you very much.

Photo: Andrea Meenken and Dr. Jason Zuidema at the Panama Canal Visitor’s Center, Miraflores Locks, 12 August 2025.