Projects
MNWB Welfare Projects
MNWB creates, operates and administers numerous projects to benefit seafarers’ welfare. In doing so it helps its Constituent Member organisations provide important welfare services, promotes the work of its Port Welfare Committees and provides welfare services itself.
Scroll down to view our recent and ongoing projects.
Ambassador Project
The Ambassador programme was created to reach out to our constituent member organisations, in order to strengthen the ties between us. The Board’s ambassadors – Neil Atkinson, Jerry Drewitt, , Alèxe Finlay and Martin Phipps – are undertaking a 12-month promotional outreach programme of visits and presentations, all designed to promote and profile the work of the Board.
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International Port Welfare Partnership (IPWP) Programme
The IPWP programme is managed by the Board on behalf of the International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN) – with funding from ITF Seafarers’ Trust, TK Foundation, The Seafarers’ Charity and ourselves. The programme is dedicated to the establishment, guidance and support of Port Welfare Committees (PWCs) across the globe. The “Port Visitor” platform was created in order to facilitate this and can be found at www.portvisitor.com .
Port Levy Project
This project was set up to encourage and support the creation of a port levy scheme to help finance the provision of seafarers’ welfare provision in their respective ports. While the schemes already in operation work independently, the Board is eager to help any UK port create a port levy – as this would create an excellent example of partnership working between ports, ship owners and welfare providers to support and improve seafarers’ welfare in port.
SIMS for Ukrainian Seafarers (sponsored by Vodafone)
The situation in Ukraine has dominated the news since the invasion, particularly on refugees getting to safety. Earlier in the year, the Board successfully applied to the Vodafone Charities Connected Campaign for free SIM cards that could be given out to Ukrainian seafarers. We were kindly awarded 8,000 SIMs which have all now be distributed to the port chaplains and seafarers’ centres who are supporting Ukrainian seafarers. MNWB have recently applied to Vodafone for a further 5,000 SIM cards and are awaiting their decision.
UK Port Welfare MiFi Partnership Project
The UK Port Welfare MiFi Partnership project is jointly funded by the Department for Transport, The Seafarers’ Charity and ourselves. It was initially created back in April 2019 and has recently been renewed for another year, with funding in place to see the project through to July 2023. The project provides 39 mobile internet hot-spots that can be taken on board ships to allow the crew to download or stream films/TV, contact their family and friends or simply catch up on what is happening in the world. Each device comes with unlimited data each month and allows 10-15 people to log-on at a time. The devices are spread throughout the UK with representatives of the participating welfare societies – Aberdeen Seafarers’ Centre, The Fishermen’s Mission, Liverpool Seafarers’ Centre, The Mission to Seafarers, Queen Victoria Seamen’s Rest (QVSR), Sailors’ Society and Stella Maris – and have proved to be a popular addition for both seafarers and the ship visitors.
UK Port Welfare Provision Research Project
MNWB – as the UK’s National Seafarers’ Welfare Board – has been asked by the Department for Transport to undertake research into the facilities and welfare operations available for seafarers and fishers across the UK. The aim to get a snap-shot of the current situation, as well as determining where there are gaps, to improve the overall welfare provision. This entails contacting ports across the UK, as well as welfare providers, to get details of what is offered where they operate. It is envisioned that the information will be collected by mid-October, with the report to be submitted to the Ministry by the end of the year.
Vehicle Replacement Programme (VRP)
The maritime funding charities recognise the importance of seafarers’ centres and Port Chaplains having access to safe and reliable vehicles in order to deliver much needed port welfare services. As a result, the now annual vehicle replacement project, having started in 2008, gives substantial grants to help voluntary organisations purchase new vehicles. The project enables welfare personnel to undertake ship and home visits as well as transporting seafarers in and around the ports. The programme helps replace minibuses, MPVs and cars that remain essential to the provision of welfare services to our seafarers. The programme is managed by the Board but is jointly funded by ITF Seafarers’ Trust, The Seafarers’ Charity, Trinity House and MNWB.