Mission to Seafarers - Sydney

12/06/2026

Life At Sea Photo Competition Closes tonight (June12)! Thank you and congratulations to seafarer Neil Glenn Parman, our latest finalist: 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.”

Seafarers past and present – Your Voice Matters! Share Your Journey. Your Crew. Your Story today! Photos don’t need to be recent; what matters is the story they tell. More details and entry form on our website - https://missiontoseafarerssydney.org.au/life-at-sea-photographic-competition/ or enter at tinyurl.com/MtSPhotoComp

If you are in Sydney, drop by to see the finalists on display in our Sydney Mission. The two winners of the US$100 Amazon vouchers will be announced on our social media accounts on the International Day of the Seafarer, June 24, 2026 and contacted via email. Thank you to all those who have shared the challenges, the commitment and the camaraderie of life as a seafarer!

12/06/2026

Congratulations to our Chair, Robert Dunn AM, on being appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2026 King’s Birthday Honours List for his “for significant service to international development, to the not-for-profit sector, and to the community.”

Since joining us as Chair in 2023, Robert has led with skill, care and a consitant commitment to showing Christ's love to all through caring service. Our team greatly appreciates the way he takes an interest in the everyday work of the Mission and encourages and provides guidance and practical assistance those serving seafarers on the frontline.

Thank you Robert for your leadership, integrity and generous heart for others. We are delighted to celebrate this very well-deserved honour. Flashback - watch Robert’s interview below sharing why he was inspired by his covid lockdown experiences to join us or see tinyurl.com/MeetMtSChair.

10/06/2026

Our latest Life at Sea Photo Competition Finalist: “Between steel walls and open skies, I found a reminder that opportunities are everywhere. The plane above wasn’t just passing by - it was proof that every journey has no limits. No matter where you start, keep looking up. The sky was never the limit; it was the destination.” – Congratulations and thank you to Filipino seafarer Xyrile Jann Alcaria for this insight and his amazing image below.

Hurry - our Life At Sea online Photography competition closes on June 12. Your photos will help others to see what life at sea is really like — the challenges, the humour, the quiet moments, and the joy of returning home. By taking part, you’ll help build a stronger seafaring community and remind the world of the people who keep global trade moving. Every entry goes into the draw to win the US$100 Amazon voucher as well as being eligible for the prize for best photograph.

Photos don’t need to be recent; what matters is the story they tell. More details and entry form on our website - link in bio or see tinyurl.com/MtSPhotoComp.
👉 Please share the news of this opportunity with your fellow seafarers!

Even if you are not a photographer, you can still share your insights or concerns about life as a seafarer confidentially at https://www.seafarershappinessindex.org/

05/06/2026

Our Life At Sea online Photography competition closes on June 12. Seafarers past and present – Your Voice Matters! Share Your Journey. Your Crew. Your Story. Photos don’t need to be recent; what matters is the story they tell. More details and entry form on our website - link in bio or see tinyurl.com/MtSPhotoComp.

Thank you to our latest finalist Stratos Mastrantonis, deck cadet from Greece, for his entry: ‘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.” – Stratos.

👉 Please share the news of this opportunity with your fellow seafarers!

Connect with us to see next week's finalist or see the display in our Sydney Mission. The two winners of the US$100 Amazon vouchers will be announced on our social media accounts on the International Day of the Seafarer, June 24, 2026 and contacted via email. Every entry also goes into the random draw for one of the vouchers.

Even if you are not a photographer, you can share your insights or concerns about life as a seafarer confidentially at https://www.seafarershappinessindex.org/

02/06/2026

Early bird pricing has been extended until midnight this Thursday, 4 June - join industry and individuals who value seafarers' work at our 2026 Seafarers Welfare Luncheon on Friday 19 June at NSW Parliament House.

Thank you to our Platinum Sponsor, Boluda Towage Australia, and to all our generous sponsors GAC Group, The MCC Group, CSL Australia, Squadron Energy and the Daily Cargo News for standing with us and supporting our vital work. Thank you to Dan-Bunkering Australia, Svitzer Australia, Sparke Helmore, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), Swire Shipping and Cruise Lines International Association for purchasing tables!

Join us to build your maritime network, recognise International Day of the Seafarer and help support the mental, emotional and physical wellbeing of seafarers visiting Sydney.

Book now:

Join the port community and all those who care about seafarers' wellbeing to celebrate and acknowledge their vital role during the current challenging times. It's also an opportunity to reconnect o...

01/06/2026

We welcomed 7,015 seafarers to the Sydney Mission in 2025, transported 10,028 seafarers, visited 808 vessels and received more than 1,400 parcels for seafarers! Our CEO Clayton Strong announced this data at our Annual General Meeting on 26 May as we reflected on our past year of care and were united in calls to continue our caring, practical support.

But as our Mr Strong reminded us, in an increasingly uncertain world, it the stories behind the numbers that truly show the impact. The stories shared at the AGM included that recently, we once again had a call from a shipping company for a mission Chaplain to visit a ship as the crew had just had a colleague die.
“We are called because they know we will be there, we care, we will stand beside anyone as they deal with the hurt and need a hand on the shoulder a caring heart and often a prayer. This is what makes the Mission to Seafarers so important. This has not changed since we began in 1881 as we prepare to celebrate 145 years of caring,” he told those present.

“Vessels may have got larger and faster, the crew smaller and the turnaround faster but we as humans are still in need of care. I am proud to be part of this team making a difference every day.”

Our Chair Robert Dunn shared that: “In an anxious and fragmented world, simply being present matters. One of the quiet strengths of the Mission to Seafarers is that we are a ministry of presence. We meet people where they are — often tired, isolated, uncertain or simply longing to be seen… It’s easy in the current context to feel sombre. We have much to be grateful for and reason to be confident.”
We are grateful for everyone who makes our work possible and “confident that small acts of faithfulness matter, and that Sydney continues to be known as a port where seafarers are treated with dignity.”

Thank you to the Sydney Bethel Union, the NSW Seafarer Welfare Fund including the Port Authority of NSW and NSW Ports, the Australian Mariners Welfare Society and all our individual donor supporters and volunteers.

Read more about our AGM, including Principal Chaplain Rev Tay’s reflection, in our Latest News:

At our recent AGM, we shared that in 2025, we welcomed 7,015 seafarers to the Sydney Mission, helped transport 10,028 seafarers and visited 808 vessels. Our CEO Clayton reminded us that behind every number is a person, a crew, and a story. Find out more:

26/05/2026

Reminder: book before 1 June to join us in showing support for the seafarers who keep global trade moving! More than 200 leaders from across the maritime sector, government and industry are expected to come together at NSW Parliament House for our 2026 Seafarers Welfare Parliamentary Luncheon, marking 145 years of The Mission to Seafarers Sydney.

We are honoured that Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC KC, Governor of NSW, will give the opening address, with the Hon John Graham MLC, NSW Minister for Transport, also speaking at the event on June 19.

We are also delighted to welcome two new sponsors: CSL Australia and Squadron Energy. A warm thank you to them, our Platinum Sponsor Boluda Towage Australia, and our other valued sponsors GAC, The MCC Group and DCN - Daily Cargo News.

As ships arrive every day, seafarer welfare cannot be treated as an occasional need. If your organisation values the people who bring us the goods we all rely on, we would love you to join us. All funds raised go towards seafarers welfare services.

Book before Monday 1 June for early bird pricing: https://tinyurl.com/MtSLunch26
Or visit: www.helpseafarers.au

20/05/2026

Thank you to Boluda Towage Australasia for becoming our Platinum Sponsor for our 2026 Seafarers Welfare Parliamentary Luncheon - thank you for standing with seafarers and helping us provide practical care to the people who bring the goods we need to our island nations despite all the challenges.

Boluda provides harbour towage, offshore support and salvage services, helping ships move safely through ports and across maritime routes. Their support is a strong fit with our Luncheon as their support will not only help ensure a premium event, but also go towards helping us provide free transport, ship and hospital visits, connection, advocacy and a safe place for seafarers to relax and recharge onshore.

This year’s Luncheon on Friday 19 June at NSW Parliament House will also celebrate our 145 years of active service for seafarers in Sydney. Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC KC, Governor of NSW, and the Hon John Graham MLC, NSW Minister for Transport, are joining us as speakers. Book or learn more on our website - link in bio - or see tinyurl.com/MtSLunch26

Image - recognise any of these industry leaders from the 2025 Luncheon?

19/05/2026

Our latest Life@Sea Photo Competition Finalist: “Not all heroes wear suits — some of us wear coveralls under the cargo hold lights. The sea never stops, and neither do seafarers.

This photo was taken during our cargo hold cleaning at around 2100H. It was the last cargo hold to load that's why the cleaning was done at that time. It shows the scale of the job, the demanding environment onboard, and the teamwork and dedication required from seafarers to keep operations running safely and efficiently. - Nilo P. Taborada Jr.

Thank you Nilo! Connect with us to see future finalists! Seafarers past or present, please enter our online photo competition at https://tinyurl.com/MtSPhotoComp or more details on our website – great prizes including a random draw for all entrants. Finalists are shared via our socials and are also on display at our Mission in Sydney – visited by over 7000 seafarers each year. Photos don’t need to be recent; what matters is the story they tell.

Current seafarers are also encouraged to share their views and needs through the global Mission to Seafarers survey to help us better advocate for your needs around the world: www.seafarershappinessindex.org

13/05/2026

Thank you to NSW Ports for donating funds raised by the ticket sales from your popular annual Port Botany Community Boat Tour to our work helping seafarers! The event welcomed members of the Port Botany, and last month the Port Kembla, communities to tour their local ports on a series of organised boat tours. There was also time to mingle with free family-friendly activities on shore. Staff and volunteers were on hand to share insights into the operations and significance of the active port.

The four free ‘thank you for your work’ tickets were also greatly appreciated by our volunteers. Jack Starmans attended and took his son Simon for a special birthday treat. Jack enjoyed reliving memories of his 15+ years of working and volunteering at our Mission. “The 45 minute cruise around Botany Bay viewing the container ships, and tankers was very enjoyable, especially watching people see the huge cargo ships up close for the first time. I take my hat off to the great organisation and hospitality of NSW Ports staff. Thank you.”

Our volunteer Bernadette wrote such a lovely thank you letter to NSW Ports that we invited her to be a guest writer on our website – see her story in our Latest News at

Thank You NSW Ports! Not only have they once again donated all the ticket costs from their popular annual Port Botany Community Boat Tours towards our work at our Sydney Mission, but they also provided a meaningful way to thank some of our precious volunteers. Volunteer Bernadette Bolo shares about....