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MARINERS DEPEND ON SCI &

SCI DEPENDS ON YOU...

IN THIS ISSUE – September 2024

• Save the Date: 2024 River Bell Awards Luncheon
• Preparing USCG Personnel Training to Address Mariner Well-Being
• The Rev. Mark Nestlehutt Appointed As Chair of ICMA
• September Chaplaincy News: International Seafarers' Center & Ministry on the River
• CME Completes Comprehensive Study for Texas International Terminals, Galveston

Above: SCI Chaplain Nancy Simpson visiting mariners at WEB Fleet/Blessey Marine in Channelview, TX. Photo by Matthew Hyner.

Thank You To Our Corporate Sponsors

Save the Date

SCI is excited to announce that our 24^th Annual River Bell Awards Luncheon will take place on Thursday, December 5, 2024, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Paducah-McCracken County Convention & Expo Center in Paducah, KY. Join us as we come together to celebrate the inland maritime industry!

Congratulations to Our 2024 River Bell Awards Honorees

River Bell Award: Bob Blocker, American Commercial Barge Line

River Legend Award: Charles A. Haun Jr., Parker Towing Company, Inc.

Distinguished Service Award: Matt Woodruff, Kirby Corporation

Lifesaving Award: Special Announcement Coming Soon!

For any questions, please reach out to our team at RiverBell@Seamenschurch.org.

We hope to see you there!

Preparing USCG Personnel Training to Address Mariner Well-Being

by Phil Schifflin

Director, Center for Mariner Advocacy

Recently, the Center for Mariner Advocacy has been frequently assisting U.S. Coast Guard personnel who encounter mariners in problematic situations aboard foreign-flagged vessels. Although our advocacy work has mainly involved blue-water and brown-water mariners, my predecessor, Doug Stevenson, and I have previously assisted and trained Coast Guard units on mariner rights issues, such as those outlined in the Maritime Labor Convention, 2006 (MLC 2006).

In these recent cases, however, we are noticing a growing frequency with which Coast Guard personnel are inquiring about individual mariner cases and seeking guidance on how to respond. Many of the USCG personnel I speak with believe they lack the authority to take action in these situations. The reality is that they do have the authority to act, and this authority would be greatly enhanced if the United States were to become a party to the MLC 2006. Even without this power, USCG members still possess the ability to intervene. When I explain the options available to them under their existing jurisdiction, I often hear responses like, “I didn’t know that” or “I was never taught that.” While the Coast Guard trains their personnel to inspect for compliance with international standards such as SOLAS, MARPOL, STCW, and Loadlines, they could do more to adequately equip their personnel to handle issues related to mariner well-being.

To address this gap, I am developing specialized training for USCG personnel who typically encounter welfare or well-being issues, specifically the port state control inspection teams. Under my guidance, this year’s Tulane summer intern began working on this training project, and two more Tulane interns will continue the work part-time during the school year. Several Coast Guard units, aware of this initiative, have already requested the training program once it’s complete. It’s important to note that U.S. Coast Guard port state control teams interact with mariners on foreign-flagged vessels daily. By better equipping them to respond to cases where mariners are not being treated properly, we can significantly strengthen the Seamen’s Church Institute’s Center for Mariner Advocacy’s efforts to promote mariner well-being.

The Rev. Mark Nestlehutt Appointed As New Chair of ICMA

On September 6, the Seamen's Church Institute's President and Executive Director, the Rev. Mark Nestlehutt, was appointed as the next chairperson for the International Christian Maritime Association (ICMA). 

"It is an honor and a privilege to serve as the Chair of ICMA," said the Rev. Nestlehutt. "As we navigate a rapidly changing maritime landscape, I am committed to fostering collaboration across our member organizations to meet the evolving needs of seafarers worldwide."

ICMA is a worldwide association of 26 Christian charities dedicated to the service of seafarers, fishers, and their families. ICMA’s members collectively represent more than 700 seafarers’ and fishers’ missions in 80 countries. The Rev. Nestlehutt takes over from Sara Baade, CEO of Sailor's Society, London, England, who has served since September 2022.

September Chaplaincy News

Chaplain Intern Joins ISC

This month, the Seamen's Church Institute’s International Seafarers' Center (ISC) in Port Newark welcomed Chaplain Intern Cora Walters, a student from Union Theological Seminary. Ms. Walters joined the ISC to “learn about all the roles and responsibilities involved in being a chaplain for seafarers.” She chose this internship “specifically because it represents a form of workplace chaplaincy, and I believe that supporting people in their work environments is both incredibly important and often undervalued.” The ISC is delighted to provide Ms. Walters with the practical experience she is seeking and is pleased to have her on board.

SCI Welcomes NAMMA this Month

From September 24 to 26, The Seamen's Church Institute will host seafarer welfare organizations in Newark, NJ, as part of the annual North American Maritime Ministry Association (NAMMA) Conference. Attendees from across North America will be welcomed, and the International Seafarers' Center will offer a facility tour and an evening gathering for fellowship.

ASIST Training with Ingram Barge

Ministry on the River Chaplain David Shirk recently led an ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) session with employees of Ingram Barge in Paducah, KY. ASIST is a two-day interactive workshop focused on suicide first aid, created by LivingWorks, teaching participants to recognize when someone may be experiencing thoughts of suicide and to work with them to develop a plan to ensure their immediate safety. SCI hosts these training sessions at various locations across the United States throughout the year. If you are interested in hosting an ASIST training, please contact ASIST@seamenschurch.org.

Follow SCI Chaplains on Social Media

While SCI strives to highlight work from all of our various mission areas online, we also enjoy shining a spotlight on the efforts of our Chaplains as they connect with mariners and seafarers. Here is a recent photo album featuring Houston-based Chaplain Nancy Simpson meeting with mariners at WEB Fleeting/Blessey Marine in Channelview, TX. You can view all our photo albums on our Flickr page. Additionally, New Orleans-based Chaplain Geoff Davis frequently shares his visits and insights on LinkedIn, which you can read by following him via this link. You may follow Chaplain David Shirk on LinkedIn as well.

CME Completes Comprehensive Study for Texas International Terminals, Galveston

Established in 2009, Texas International Terminals (TXIT) is a multimodal facility for deep draft vessels, trains, trucks, and barges on the Galveston Ship Channel. Located near Pelican Island, it offers liquid transloading, dry bulk handling, and storage services. TXIT accommodates various classes of ships and ocean-going barges, with new docks set to handle Suezmax ships. The terminal is located on Galveston Island (Galveston, TX) and is in the vicinity of the Pelican Island Causeway bridge.

To ensure safe operations, TXIT and the Lone Star Harbor Safety Committee consulted with the Seamen's Church Institute’s Center for Maritime Education (CME) for a comprehensive dock study focused on weather conditions, tow configurations, safety practices, and the impact of the ship berth bulkhead on tidal currents. CME utilized its Galveston Ship Channel database, updating maps, depth, current information, and radar files to reflect the new facility. Six different models were used to simulate various scenarios, ensuring the safety and efficiency of TXIT operations.

"In this particular region, and with new construction, there can be many variables impinging on safety and safe operations," said CME Assistant Director Capt. Dave Howell. "In assisting TXIT and their objectives, CME brought in several experienced mariners, using multiple simulators in concert, to execute maneuvers under a variety of conditions giving our port stakeholders the data they need. We're building our reputation on this kind of critical research, and we're all pleased this study went so well."

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 FROM THE SCI ARCHIVES 

On this day in 1609, Henry Hudson began his journey upriver from Spuyten Duyvil, located at the northern tip of Manhattan, heading toward what is now Albany in search of a northwest passage. SCI paid tribute to Hudson, his ship—the Halve Maen—and the enduring connection between New York and the Netherlands by installing a statue and a model in the Home for Netherland Seamen, also known as the Dutch Seamen's Club. This club was established at 25 South Street in November 1940 following the Nazi invasion of the Netherlands.



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