Mission To Seafarers Townsville

12/07/2026

Happy Sea Sunday to all our supporters and especially to our wonderful seafarers.

Whether in a Port city or country parish, the word is spread about how we all depend upon international shipping, in particular, the 2 million men and women who keep cargo moving.

We give thanks to cathrdrals and churches who join in the commemoration of Sea Sunday to say Thank You to crews who visit our Mission Centres, and to the chaplains, ship visitors, and volunteers who keep the seafaring ministry operating.

04/06/2026

The Mission to Seafarers Townsville is extremely grateful to Port of Townsville Limited for a grant to assist us in preparing a Centenary Booklet of the MtS history 1927 to 2027.

We were among the recipients in this years' Port of Townsville's Communiry Fund awards.

As the Mission turns 100 next year, we are planning a celebratory commemoration to be held on Sunday 12th September 2027.

It was this date in 1927 that the first Mission rooms were officially opened in Old Jetty Rd, Sth Townsville.

There will be a Service of Thanksgiving in St James' Cathedral, and we will also commemorate Sea Sunday on that day, followed by a brunch at Quayside Terminal...if it is available that morning.

We are adding to the history written in 2010 to bring information up to date and to include the Centenary weekend.

Once again, we thank the POTL for your generous donation towards the new History of MtS Townsville.

05/04/2026

05/04/2026

May the Risen Christ be with our seafarers and their families, as you all work to keep international trade and commercial sea lanes operating for the good of the whole world.
May the Risen Christ, bless you all in your daily lives and relationships both at sea and at home.

08/03/2026

Today Townsville welcomes the cruise vessel Magnifica to our Port.
The Mission has its stall in Quayside Terminal stocked with souvenirs for our visiting crew and passengers.
The Mission rooms at Berth 9 are also open all day if crew wish to visit and relax.

08/03/2026

Around 20,000 seafarers are currently stranded aboard vessels in the Persian Gulf due to the escalating security crisis around the Strait of Hormuz, according to International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez.

Although the Strait of Hormuz has not been officially closed, the waterway has become extremely dangerous for navigation amid rising tensions between Iran and the United States and its allies. As a result, many vessels that were already inside the Gulf are unable to safely exit the region.

Industry estimates suggest that nearly 150 container ships, about 450 oil and gas tankers and more than 200 bulk carriers are currently in the area, carrying tens of thousands of crew members.

Crew changes have also become nearly impossible as several countries in the region have restricted or closed their airspace. Shipowners are unable to send seafarers home because vessels cannot be left without crews.

Since February 28, several security incidents involving commercial vessels have been reported in the region, including missile strikes and dangerous encounters at sea, while war-risk insurance premiums have surged sharply.

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18/02/2026

The Christian season of Lent has just begun and we journey from now until Easter /Pascha with Jesus along the road to Calvary and to new life.

May it be a period of prayer and reflection on how we can help each other, especially while at sea, working hard, coping with the pressure of life.

Wishing our Muslim seafarers a Holy Ramadan over the coming weeks. May you have time to pray, reflect, help others, and fast in peace.

Your holy month coincides this year with the beginning of Christian Lent...may it be a time of increased prayer and blessings for us all. It's pretty obvious we all need the blessings of the Almighty at this time in our fractured world.

For the seafarers visting the Port of Townsville we have 800 new beanies made over the past year by our friend, Sarah.

We all have something... some gift or talent to share with each other. Making beanies is one way of showing care for our hard working seafarers.

06/02/2026

This afternoon, the Mission received 800 beanies crocheted by Sarah Braund from the Atherton Tablelands.
Sarah and Merve drove down and back, a 10 hour retrurn trip to deliver the beanies today.

Her main concern was that the colours would be ok.
The other reason for the drive was to collect more wool to beging the next batch of beanies for our seafarers.

I assured Sarah that the visiting crew would appreciate her efforts.

This is a wonderful start to the year, as so many beanies were distributed over the Christmas... New Year period.

The seafarers and I say a huge thank you to our dedicated team of knitters, from Goulburn to Cairns and the Tablelands, and all point in between.