The inaugural 2026 International Day of the Seafarers – Life at Sea Photography Competition has now closed. Finalists’ images are on show at our Mission and in the posters attached –
Follow us on our socials to find out when the 2027 competition opens! Hint: November 2026!
Thank you to those who used their lens to shine a light on life at sea!
Your Journey. Your Crew. Your Story
We launched this competition in November 2025 to celebrate seafarers’ lives and to help strengthen the seafaring community world-wide!
We hope these images will help to inspire seafarers. It’s a way they can use their talents to share their real world experiences. It may be facing a tough time or hard work, finding clever ways to celebrate special occasions at sea, the importance of friendship, the agony of leaving home or the joy of returning to loved ones. The images and stories of the finalists were shared on our socials and in our newsletter.
The goals was for the photographs to not only help those working on cargo and cruise ships to connect with and understand each other, but to help to inspire the landlubbers who benefit from seafarers’ hard work!
Let’s work together to make the invisible contribution of seafarers – highly visible!
Winners announced – Happy International Day of the Seafarer 2026!
Congratulations to the seafarers who have won our Life at Sea Photographic Competition and thank you to everyone who entered. The entries were so impressive, we have donated an extra US$100 Amazon gift voucher prize so that we can have two first place winners for best photograph:
Best Photograph – Joint Winners
Erick Peter Boco for “Bahid – Stain”
“Seafarers brave all weather. Cold, wet and the fierce sun.”
Stratos Mastrantonis for “Lunch Above the Hull”
“During a lunch break inside a ship repair hold in China, workers sit on a crane structure surrounded by steam and steel. A quiet human pause in the middle of heavy industry.”
Our Random Draw Winner is Sherwen Baques for “Dry Dock”.
“Dry dock isn’t a setback. It’s a necessary pause. Every crack gets attention. Every weakness gets addressed. The relaunch will be stronger because of this moment.”
Our People’s Choice Winner – most likes and shares online – is:
Captain Alvin Datuin for “Where Steel Meets Spirit”: “No matter how thick the rust or how heavy the workload, a seaman’s spirit never corrodes. Like the steel we maintain, we are forged in hardship and tempered by the sea.”
On behalf of the judging panel, David Minty, Principal Photographer from It’s All About the Light Photography, said all the entries showed an “excellent range of subjects portraying life at sea” and all the finalists showed significant photographic skills and insights.
As for the winners, “ ‘Stain’ shows outstanding composition of subject against the expansive background of sky and ocean, highlighting the often lonely life of those supporting our maritime trade. Almost by contrast, ‘Lunch Above the Hull’ shows us seafarers’ camaraderie in the challenging environment in which they often work, also with an excellent choice of atmospheric background and good eye for composition. It was so difficult to choose between them that we were inspired to grant two first prizes,” David said.
Seafarers can still to share their concerns – see https://app.missiontoseafarers.org/
Share Your Needs
Help The Mission to Seafarers globally to stand up for the needs of seafarers – complete the ‘Happiness’ survey – confidential and no photos needed:
Terrific Prizes!
A US$100 Amazon gift voucher for:
Best Insight Photograph: a US$100 Amazon voucher selected on how well the photo and caption combined share an insight into the life of a seafarer
Random ‘All In’ Draw: every form generates an entry into the random draw for a US$100 Amazon voucher. There is no limit to how often a seafarer or former seafarer can enter. Each form allows one image with caption.
People’s Choice: most likes and shares online.
Key Dates
The Competition closed at midnight on June 12, 2026.
The two winners were announced on MtS Sydney social media accounts on the International Day of the Seafarer, June 24, 2026 and contacted via email.
Questions: email competition@missiontoseafarers.org.au
How to Enter:
Seafarers past and present can enter by submitting a photo and short caption through the entry form:
The best photos each month will be shared in our social media and on the new Photo Wall in our Mission in Sydney!
To see other entries:
Search on our Instagram #LifeAtSeaPics
or visit us on Facebook: @MtSSydney
Sample Finalist – photo by seafarer Neil Parman – Training for the Unthinkable:
“Drills today save lives tomorrow. During a routine fire drill, two crew
members advance together, fully equipped and guided by established
procedures. Fire remains one of the greatest dangers at sea, and regular
training ensures that every seafarer knows their role. This image
highlights the professionalism and vigilance that define life onboard—
where preparation is a daily responsibility.”
Terms and Conditions
1. Eligibility:
The competition is open to all seafarers, past and present, aged 16 years or over. Entry is free and voluntary. You can enter as often as you like. Entry does not need to be exclusive.
2. Judging and Prizes:
The Best Insight Image winner will be sent a US$100 Amazon voucher. The winner will be chosen by the Mission’s judging panel of three people which will include at least one former or current seafarer and a photographer.
The winner of the second US$100 Amazon voucher will be selected with a random draw – each form with photo successfully submitted generates one entry for the random draw. No limit to number of entries.
The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
3. Photo Requirements:
o Photos must be original and taken by the entrant.
o Preferably in square format, JPG or PNG
o Max. 10MB.
o Images must be suitable for all audiences; that is they must not include explicit, violent or offensive content.
o Photographer needs to check with any identifiable people in the image that they agree for the photo to be submitted and shared.
o Photos may be edited for clarity or format but must reflect real life at sea.ie not AI generated.
4. Privacy:
Personal information provided will be handled in accordance with Australian privacy laws and used only for the administration and promotion of the competition and Mission to Seafarers Sydney’s activities. You will not be sent promotional materials from third parties.
5. Use of Entries:
By entering, you grant Mission to Seafarers Sydney a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to use, reproduce, publish, and display your photo, caption and country in connection with the competition and to promote the Mission’s wellbeing work for seafarers, online or in print.
Credit will be given where possible to the name or social-media handle provided on the form, unless the photographer requested otherwise on their form.
6. Withdrawal and Removal:
Any entry that breaches these terms or social-media platform rules will not be accepted or given a random draw entry. Entrants may request withdrawal of their image from future use by contacting competition@missiontoseafarers.org.au
Questions: competition@missiontoseafarers.org.au
Find out more about what we do for seafarers in our Latest News or in our ‘For Seafarers’ section:
