Vatican appeals for 300,000 seafarers stranded at sea by Covid

image: ICN/JS

Source: Vatican News/Stella Maris

It is estimated that more than 300,000 seafarers and marine personnel are currently stranded at sea, due to the Covid-19 restrictions. Cardinal Peter Turkson, Prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, has appealed for their safe passage home.

As the Catholic Church marks 100 years of its ministry to seafarers, the Vatican is calling on governments, international, national organizations and port authorities to cooperate and create "special channels" to facilitate safe and secure crew changes for seafarers during the pandemic.

"We would like to see the seafarers stranded at sea back in their countries and reunited with their love ones," said Cardinal Peter Turkson, Prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.

Travel restrictions, borders closure and quarantine measures due to the pandemic, he noted, has triggered a humanitarian emergency crisis at sea. "It is estimated that more than 300,000 seafarers and marine personnel are currently stranded at sea, their contracts extended far more than the 11-months limit set out in the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), away from their loved ones, under mental stress and physical fatigue.

Cardinal Turkson made the appeal in a letter to bishops, promoters, regional coordinators, national directors, chaplains and volunteers of Stella Maris (Apostleship of the Sea).

The Cardinal issued the letter ahead of the 25th World Congress of the Stella Maris/Apostleship of the Sea and the Centenary Celebration, due to take place on October 4th in Glasgow, Scotland, where it all began. Because of the pandemic, the celebration will take place online.

The Apostleship of the Sea, which ministers to seafarers, regardless of their nationality, belief, sex or race, was set up during a meeting in a Catholic Institute in Cochrane Street, Glasgow, on October 4, 1920. Pope Pius XI blessed and approved the first Constitution of AoS in a letter dated 22 April 1922. Successive popes have always encouraged the growth of this Apostolate.

A century later, hundreds of chaplains and many more volunteers present in around 300 ports, carry out at least 70,000 ship visits a year and reach out to more than a million seafarers.

Cardinal Turkson expressed gratitude for the countless 'Apostles' of all nationalities who through the decades have spent their lives with dedication and commitment in different ports of the world, in the service of the people of the sea.

He noted that the maritime industry has changed enormously with larger and computerized ships, manned by multi-national, multi-cultural and multi-religious crew. At the same time, dangers such as piracy, crime, abandonment and the pandemic have increased the stress, the fatigue and the isolation of the crew. The AoS has also evolved adopting new technology to respond to the material and spiritual needs of the seafarers, fishers and their families.

While the structures and designs of ports have changed, Cardinal Turkson said, the needs of the seafarers have not. Every time they dock, they yearn to contact their families, to seek advice for contractual problems or simply they would like to talk. Despite the restrictions of Covid-19, he said, the substance of the service of AoS should be essentially a "ministry of presence." The cardinal urged them to "make use of all the instruments that the technology offers us to be present in the lives of the people of the sea offering friendship, support, encouragement and continuous prayers.