At the AGM of the Seafarers Centre on 10 June 2018, various reports were received. Amongst them:

In 2017 …

… 1199 ships visited Auckland (112 bulk carriers, 667 container ships, 101 passenger ships, 62 general cargo ships, 184 vehicle carriers, 8 research vessels, 30 reefers, 28 tankers).  872 of these ships were visited by the Centre’s chaplains and ship visitors, an average of around 72 ships per month;

… 4040 seafarers visited the Centre;

… the Centre’s chaplains were involved with, or conducted:

– a baptism service for the granddaughter of a retired ship’s master

– Sea Sunday services

– Merchant Navy Day services in Auckland

– Service of Mass onboard ships

– funeral/memorial services aboard a cruise ship

– ships blessings

– Christmas gifts of chocolate and cards to seafarers on ships at Christmas

– Easter eggs to POAL security staff and distributed at the Centre

– Palms distributed for Palm Sunday

– visits to a seafarer in prison, to 2 hospitalised seafarers, and to a retired seafarer

– complaints/concersn over contract matters were referred to appropriate agencies

– the scattering of a seafarer’s ashes

… equipment to allow the top-up and sale of SIM cards was installed and is proving very beneficial