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MARINERS DEPEND ON SCI &
SCI DEPENDS ON YOU...
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IN THIS ISSUE – October 2024
- SCI Celebrates Completion of Ministry on the River $5M Endowment Campaign
- SCI Co-hosts Annual NAMMA Conference
- Phil Schifflin, Esq. Participates in National Academies of Science Panel on Alcohol Misuse and Maritime Incidents
- ISC Preparations for the ILA Port Strike
- Months Into This Meaningful Work
- Elevating Maritime Training with Custom Vessel Models
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Above: SCI President & Executive Director, the Rev. Mark Nestlehutt, visiting mariners onboard the container ship MSC Everest VIII. Photo by SCI Chaplain, the Rev. James Kollin.
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Thank You To Our Corporate Sponsors | |
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Save the Date
SCI is excited to announce that our 24th 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!
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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!
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SCI Celebrates Completion of Ministry on the River $5,000,000 Endowment Campaign | |
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At its most recent Board of Trustees meeting in Houston, Texas, SCI officially announced that our Ministry on the River (MOR) Endowment Campaign had reached its $5 million goal. To mark this achievement, some of SCI’s board members, President’s National Council members, major donors, and staff gathered aboard Kirby Marine’s M/V Observer for an evening dinner and cruise along Buffalo Bayou out of Channelview, Texas.
The MOR Campaign was launched to fund two additional full-time SCI Chaplains and increase its network of Chaplain Associates. As a result of this campaign, the Rev. Nancy Simpson was hired and appointed in April as the Chaplain for the Houston Ship Channel and Gulf Region. At a later date, another full-time chaplain will be added to SCI’s chaplaincy network.
For more photos, click here.
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SCI Co-hosts Annual NAMMA Conference
The Seamen's Church Institute, along with Seafarers International House, proudly co-hosted the 2024 North American Maritime Ministry Association (NAMMA) conference in September in Newark, NJ. SCI President and Executive Director, the Rev. Mark Nestlehutt, welcomed the 125 delegates with a speech focused on the issue of "Sea Blindness." He explained how advances in containerization have led to seafarers—who play a crucial role in global commerce—becoming less visible to the general public as ports have moved away from cities to more remote coastal areas. Additionally, Phil Schifflin, Esq., Director of the Center for Mariner Advocacy, offered his insights on the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006, with a particular focus on recent developments concerning mariner abandonment and criminality.
The conference also featured prominent speakers, including Bethann Rooney, Ports Director at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey; Cardinal Joseph William Tobin, Archbishop of Newark; and keynote speaker "tik-tok-famous" Sister Monica Clare from St. John Baptist in Mendham, New Jersey. Attendees enjoyed a New York Harbor cruise aboard a New York Pilot Boat, along with a visit to SCI’s International Seafarers' Center, where they gathered for an evening of worship and fellowship.
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NAMMA: Video Presentations | |
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"Identifying Sea Blindness:" view the Rev. Mark Nestlehutt's opening remarks at the NAMMA conference below.
"Yet this transition from port operations from Lower Manhattan to the marshlands of New Jersey also contributed to that phenomenon we all know of as "sea blindness," where seafarers are no longer seen by the general public, and thus become increasingly invisible and underappreciated."
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The above video link takes you to NAMMA's Vimeo page. Once loaded, press play to view remarks. | |
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"Updates to the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006:" View Phil Schifflin's remarks at the NAMMA conference below.
"I have not yet met someone in seafarer welfare who doesn't do a good job ministering to the needs of seafarers. What I would say is, if you become more legally aware, you could do it even better."
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The above video link takes you to NAMMA's Vimeo page. Once loaded, press play to view remarks. | |
Phil Schifflin, Esq., Participates in National Academies of Science Panel on Alcohol Misuse and Maritime Incidents | |
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by Phil Schifflin
Director, Center for Mariner Advocacy
At SCI's Center for Mariner Advocacy (CMA), we regularly engage in discussions focused on mariner health and safety. Recently, the U.S. Coast Guard commissioned the National Academies of Sciences (NAS) to study the role of alcohol use in the maritime industry and its impact on related incidents. In response, NAS initiated a study titled "Prevention, Mitigation, and Response to Alcohol Misuse and Related Incidents in the Commercial Maritime Industry." Over the past year, NAS has been conducting research on this issue, including hosting information-gathering meetings with subject matter experts to enhance their understanding.
Phil Schifflin, Esq., CMA Director, took part in one of these meetings as a panelist in a session titled "Perspectives from Support Service Organizations." Other panelists included representatives from the International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots, the Women Offshore Foundation, and a maritime mental health professional. The panel engaged in a thoughtful discussion on the potential causes of alcohol misuse and its connection to other incidents.
The meeting also featured two other panels: Perspectives from Commercial Maritime Industry Operators and Evidence-Based Practices for Promoting Workplace Safety Culture. Given that this study was commissioned by the U.S. Coast Guard, a key regulator in the U.S. maritime industry, CMA will provide a recap of the findings from NAS once they emerge.
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ISC Preparations for the ILA Port Strike | |
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In early October, the International Longshoremen’s Association strike made headlines as stevedores all along the East Coast of the United States ceased work for the first time since 1977. With the strike only lasting a few days, the International Seafarers Center (ISC) remained open to the entire community throughout, staying neutral while maintaining its unreservedly welcoming spirit. ISC Director Matt Morse emphasized, “Our priority is always ensuring that seafarers and all others in the port community are cared for and have a place of respite while in port.” Morse continued, “We stayed in communication with port and union representatives during the strike and secured advance permission to visit seafarers who were stuck in port. If the strike had continued, we were preparing to send chaplains to visit seafarers anchored outside the port.”
The ISC received several media inquiries and experienced an increase in visitors throughout the strike. Despite the cessation of truck and crane operations, the ISC found itself as busy as ever, intentionally building community and awareness of SCI’s good works within the port itself and generating an increase in small-dollar donations toward SCI’s mission.
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The Rev. Marjorie "Marge" Lindstrom, 1951–2024
SCI is deeply saddened by the passing of the Rev. Marjorie "Marge" Lindstrom. She served as a Chaplain at the Seamen’s Church Institute’s International Seafarers' Center in Port Newark for 12 years. A notice of her passing was shared in the Newark Episcopal Diocese Newsletter, which can be viewed here.
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Months Into This Meaningful Work | |
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by the Rev. Nancy Simpson
Chaplain, Houston Ship Channel and Gulf Region
from the October Quarterly Activity Report
When I step into the world of mariners and their living quarters on vessels, I bring a heart filled with peace and blessings. I immerse myself in their stories—their laughter, worries, insights, and wisdom—celebrating their joys, whether it’s receiving a cherished SCI knit hat, scarf, or a holiday treat. I often share a meal with them in the galley, where they frequently express their profound gratitude for the SCI Center for Maritime Education’s simulators and the invaluable training they receive at our Port of Houston facility. I make sure to spread the word about our services by handing out vibrant SCI brochures, business cards, and crisis line magnets, making sure they know we’re here when they need us.
The mariners I visit on tugs, towboats, or at the dock are often the same ones I support during crises. Recently, I faced the heart-wrenching task of aiding mariners affected by a vessel sinking. Stunned by the news, I quickly responded to the scene, employing my crisis management skills to offer comfort and grief counseling. In another recent tragedy, a mariner suffered a heart attack. Although I was en route to a maritime conference, I immediately began reaching out to company leaders and those impacted, ensuring they received the support they needed. As always with chaplaincy, the care extends through return visits, resource searches, and follow-up calls.
Hospital visits are a crucial part of my role. During one visit, I came across a charge nurse who had been a member of my church as a child; coincidentally, back then she had aspired to become a nurse. It felt like a serendipitous moment that we found ourselves together at the same time, both dedicated to caring for the mariner.
During my visits, I’m often asked for prayers or blessings for crew members or entire vessels. I prioritize these requests, understanding the immediate need for spiritual support. Months into this meaningful work, I am honored to support our mariners as an SCI Chaplain, dedicated to their well-being in this vital part of the world.
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Elevating Maritime Training with Custom Vessel Models | |
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In early 2024, several CME customers approached us with an exciting request—could we update the vessel traffic in our simulators to provide a more customized and realistic training experience?
CME's talented in-house 3D modeler, Matt Hyner (Simulator and Database Manager), immediately took on the challenge. By gathering company-specific visual files, Matt created highly detailed, customized vessel and barge models like never before. Thanks to his efforts, our simulators now offer:
- Dynamic naming for vessels, giving each object unique identifiers.
- Customized paint schemes and company logos for enhanced detail.
The result? A high-fidelity training environment that immerses mariners in more realistic scenarios at CME locations.
We’d like to thank our customers for inspiring this improvement and Matt for bringing this vision to life. We’re excited to offer this next-level customization to our training partners!
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Your Donations Make a Difference! | |
On this day in 1965, the 1964 World’s Fair officially ended. SCI was fully engaged with the 1964 World’s Fair, hosting the official ball for the inaugural Operation Sail (organized in conjunction with the fair) and arranging trips for seafarers on shore leave. One memorable moment captured on the cover of the May 1964 issue of The Lookout features “Polish seamen with an SCI ship visitor (center) pausing before the Unisphere during a tour of the World’s Fair.” | |
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