Thank you to everyone who joined us at our third Mission to Seafarers Annual Luncheon – our biggest to date as over 175 members of the port community and MtS supporters attended to celebrate and support the essential work of seafarers.
All funds raised thorough the event will help our small team to provide physical, mental, spiritual and emotional services to more of the 400,000 seafarers who visit Sydney.
Thank you to our Event Sponsors – Principal: Gulf Agency Company (Australia) Pty Ltd GAC Group, Bronze: CSL Australia, Svitzer, Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), and the Daily Cargo News.
Help share the good news! Feel free to download any images and share in your own newsletters or social accounts. (see Link above).
Exciting News Announced
Our keynote speaker Philip Holliday CEO, Port Authority of New South Wales shared the exciting news about the new Seafarers Welfare Fund, which also includes contributions from NSW Ports and the Port of Newcastle.
It will distribute $2.5m over five years to established seafarer charities in NSW providing vital, reliable support.
NSW Ports, Jonathan Lafforgue, General Manager, Operations and Environment, and Port of Newcastle CEO Craig Carmody also addressed the Luncheon sharing why supporting seafarers’ welfare was vital for the industry and our economy.
We are extremely grateful to the founding seafarers welfare initiative members for recognising the need and combining together to build this on-going commitment – and for selecting us as Round 1 beneficiaries. This funding will help to ensure all our Mission centres can reach more seafarers than ever before with our practical, caring services. Thank you!
To learn more about the Seafarers Welfare Fund visit:
Thank you to the special guests who attended our Luncheon including the Hon Jo Haylen, NSW Transport Minister; the Hon Matt Thistlethwaite MP, Federal Member for Kingsford Smith; and Dr Marjorie Spooner O’Neill, NSW Member for Coogee.
Thank you also the representatives of Cruise Line International, Carnival Australia Cruises, DP World Sydney, Hapag-Lloyd, International Chamber of Shipping, Shipping Australia, Dan-Bunkering (Australia) Pty Ltd as well as charities Stella Maris, Tas Bull Seafarers Foundation and HunterLink for joining us.
We appreciated our Joint Vice Regal Patrons, Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Joan Beazley AC KC and Mr Dennis Wilson sending their kind words of support.
Our nation is the 4th largest user of shipping in the globe and if we continue to all collaborate together, we can make a real difference to the lives of seafarers. The spin offs are improved supply chain and environmental security, improved ship and port productivity and healthier, happier seafarers and their families.
We hope join can us for our next Annual Luncheon on Friday, June 20, 2025 at NSW Parliament House.
If you would like any other photographs or have any questions, please contact Nadja at nadja.leffler@missiontoseafarers.org.au.
