Stella Maris’ practical help for Seafarers
19 June, 2023
We received a text message on Sunday 7th of May at 1.36pm regarding the welfare of crew on board a vessel at Weipa heading to China from the national Manager of Mission to Seafarers, via a chaplain in Port Kembla. I jumped right on to it as no crew should undergo a voyage with insufficient food for its crew. They had been on reduced rations for a week already and were fishing to supplement their food. They still had another 2 weeks voyage ahead of them. The captain had refused to supply sufficient food for the crew as he said the cost of supplies in Australia was expensive!!!
I spoke to our local AMSA guys and established that this was true and correct. This vessel was due to sail in the early hours of Monday morning. ASMA put a hold on this vessel and ordered the ship to provide sufficient fresh provisions prior to departing the port. With the assistance of the wharf crew, they were able to obtain two ute loads of food for the vessel. ASMA then flew to the vessel on Monday morning and inspected the vessel and supplies before releasing this vessel.
‘And now sir the AMSA have action now we are now detained until the fresh food coming thank you very much for your help and action God bless you always’.
Messages like this makes it all worthwhile for us. To all of us we are human, regardless of religion, nationality, colour, or rank and all come together to assist our fellow seafarers.
This is what we are.
