The Mission to Seafarers revealed a new centre for seafarers in Port Talbot, to increase its welfare service provision for seafarers calling at the port. The new centre received a £35,000 grant from the Merchant Navy Welfare Board, and aims to offer respite care to seafarers who visit the port each year. The centre will be providing a place to relax, socialise, and connect with friends and family.
Namely, the centre will provide seafarers with access to several modern facilities including free WIFI, games consoles, and a small shop selling snacks and essential items. In addition, emotional, spiritual and practical support will also be provided onsite by the port chaplain, centre manager, and volunteer staff.
[smlsubform prepend=”GET THE SAFETY4SEA IN YOUR INBOX!” showname=false emailtxt=”” emailholder=”Enter your email address” showsubmit=true submittxt=”Submit” jsthanks=false thankyou=”Thank you for subscribing to our mailing list”]
Used by the Tata Steelworks to import coal and iron ore, Port Talbot is one of the most significant ports in South Wales. It is also one of the few in the UK capable of handling Capesize vessels of up to 170,000 tonnes deadweight (DWT).
Rev. Mark Lawson-Jones, Port Chaplain Wales, said:
The new centre will enable us to provide a warm, friendly, and welcoming environment for the hundreds of seafarers who use the port – many of whom will have sailed for 30-40 days without a single stop and without any way of communicating with their loved ones. The centre’s free WIFI for all seafarers is a very important feature
Commenting about the new centre, Canon Andrew Wright, Secretary General, The Mission to Seafarers, added that the Port of Talbor has particular needs for the seafarers, as the port is remote from the facilities of the town.
What is more, Southampton-based charity Sailors’ Society also opened a newly refurbished portacabin for seafarers, on 23 February. Funded by a grant from the Merchant Navy Welfare Board (MNWB), the cabin offers respite to seafarers unable to access city centre amenities due to limited shore leave and quick turnaround times.
In particular, the portacabin offers seafarers docking in the city’s port, which handles around 14 million tonnes of cargo annually, the opportunity to access support services and free Wi-Fi.
