What about the Seafarers?

Regular readers of Fremantle Shipping News may (or may not) remember about a year ago, November 2023 actually, I wrote an article Hooray for the Port Hedland Seafarers Centre about the Mission to Seafarers, or Flying Angel Club, up in Port Hedland.

So impressed was I by what they were doing up there, that I enquired about helping at the Fremantle Mission to Seafarers. They said, ‘Yes, thanks’, and my goodness I have discovered a very interesting and diverse organisation here in Freo.

The Mission to Seafarers, also known as the Flying Angel Club, was set up under the Anglican Church to provide compassion, care and support to seafarers around the world when they need it most. It started in the UK in about 1857 when the UK merchant fleet was at its zenith. Today it has centres in 121 ports worldwide.

The 2023 global numbers are staggering. 43,000 Ship visits to 302,000 seafarers onboard. About 150,000 seafarer visits to the centres. 130,1000 seafarers used the Ship-to-Town bus services. We went shopping 11,300 times on seafarers behalf and spent over $US1.25 million of their money. But the one I like most is we distributed 1 metric tonne of knitting amongst them! Nothing like a hand knitted beanie or scarf.

Our local MtS or Flying Angel club, that provides its share of these numbers, is located in Queen Victoria Street, Fremantle, between Shacks and Officeworks and just over the road from the BP station. A large building with a lovely chapel, 23 rooms for accommodation (mostly ensuite), games area, souvenir shop, meeting rooms and bar – known as the ‘Chain Locker Club’. But, most importantly, friendly faces welcoming the seafarers.

There is also the Stella Maris Club nearby but the MtS is the one I know most about.

Why should I, or you, be interested in and know about the MtS? Well, if you are a ‘Shipee’ that is a ‘Fremantle Shipping News Person’ then I think you should know about how we care for the crews of ships that visit our beautiful port. There are about 1.9 million seafarers afloat worldwide at any one time. Freo has about 1,800 ships per year, say with an average crew of about 25, so that’s about 45,000 crew members passing through the port of Fremantle annually.

Not all come ashore. I was astonished to be told recently that Australian crewed ships are ‘dry’. They never used to be that way. Many Seafarers on their shore leave now enjoy a nice cold beer at the MtS ‘Chain Locker Club’ after they have done their shopping around Freo.

GSL Ningbo in Fremantle Port

Modern port conditions can sometimes discourage crew from coming ashore. One of the many effects of containerisation is ships spend less time in port. Whereas once it was not unusual for ships to spend up to two weeks in port, now time spent is measured in days. Two or three is usual. Containers can be rapidly removed from ships’ holds and empty ones rapidly placed back into them. Bulk cargoes, wheat, alumina and the like, are also loaded very much quicker.

Ports have become separated from cities, crew have become separated from the community. Fremantle inner harbour is a bit of an exception and we should value it for the jewel that it is. Not the outer harbour berths though. They are in fact more isolated than is normal.

Probably the most restrictive element in keeping crew on board are the significant global security requirements. You might find it inconvenient to not be able to stroll along the wharf, (I do!) but how would you feel if you were crew and could not go for a stroll along the wharf after being on board for weeks.

The Fremantle MtS has six buses. Driven by a combination of paid drivers and volunteers a regular service is provided to ferry seafarers to and fro their ships. Both inner harbour and the long trip down to all the outer harbour berths. This service is supported by Fremantle Ports. The seafarers are brought back to the Flying Angel Club, and from there they can go wherever they please. Uptown for shopping, or just maybe looking around. They can change their (usually) Yankee dollars into Australian dollars. They can pick up some decent Aussie souvenirs from the MtS shop. They can play on the pool tables. They can sit awhile in the chapel, if they so wish. Or they can buy a beer and sit out on the verandah and, for something different, look across at a RO-RO ship at H Berth!

I have never asked a seafarer whether he or she appreciates being able to do this, but I suspect they do appreciate it, being amongst friendly faces whilst getting a break from the confines of their ship. Modern ships are far more comfortable than they used to be, but they still are a relatively limited space, the décor is a bit sterile, health issues, both physical and mental, cannot be treated by a quick visit to the GP. A large number of ports worldwide do not have the comforts that Fremantle does.

MtS provides a service to local shipping agents to run their crews to doctors, dentists etc. They also do runs to the airport when requested, and have even taken crew signing on/off, in our best bus to and from Bunbury and Esperance.

General purpose frigates. Credit aidc.org.au

National delivery crew taking delivery of the newly constructed Austral patrol boats are also accommodated and transported by the centre.

So next time you are admiring one of the many diverse and interesting cargo ships in port, spare a thought for the people on board and the small local band of people who make their visit to Freo more enjoyable.

Like most volunteers organisations MtS always needs people and money.

If you’d like to volunteer or help, you can find out more right here.

By Michael Metcalf

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