Mission To Seafarers 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.

23/12/2025

The Mission to Seafarers at the Port of Townsville sends Christmas Greetings to all our visiting Seafarers, our Port community, and our wonderful supporters and donors. Thank you to South32, Glencore, Honeycombes, our Rotary Club friends, Port personnel, parishes, and individuals.

Volunteer Chris is on hand this week to distribute the Christmas gifts and packages to vessels and individuals.

The Mission itself will be open mainly in the afternoons and early evenings over the coming days until Jan 5th, when ships are in port.

May the festival of Christ's Birth be a Blessing to each and everyone.

Stay safe, be at peace, and enjoy the knowledge that Jesus the Christ, brings us Love...for ourselves, and each and every person.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

10/12/2025

The Mission held our Christmas gift preparation today, with volunteers Bev and John, and a group of friends from Port of Townsville Rotary Club assisting in the collating of the gifts.

During the day, we also recived a visit from Jane and Monica from the local St Vincent de Paul Society with their gift of 12 Christmas cakes to be given to ships' crews, along with the gift of cakes from local Rotary Clubs..This has been a tradition now for over 20 years.

Then tonight, friends from the Aitkenvale Girl Guides arrived on their annual 'pilgrimage' to wrap the 300 gifts for visiting seafarers, which will be distributed over coming days.

A group of seafarers from the 'African Finch' also visited to celebrate a crewmates birthday, before departure tomorrow.

It was also the opportunity to 'bedeck' the chapel with our Nativity scene, reminding our visitors and port personnel of the real meaning of the season of Christmas.

We are really beginning to feel the Christmas Spirit after such a wonderful day.

02/12/2025

I pass this on this great news about our ex- head of the international Mission to Seafarers received recognition for his work with the Mission.
Andrew visited us in Townville several years ago and was extremely complimentary of the Townsville MTS work with our visiting seafarers. To see him receive this honour from our President, the Princess Royal is wonderful news, for him personally, but also an acknowledgement of the work of the Mission worldwide. Well done Andrew.

16/11/2025

Wonderful news from the Vatican about ministry to Seafarers through the Apostleship of the Sea.
The Stella Maris is now a canonical legal entity.
Sending our best wishes to our brothers and sisters in seafaring ministry.

14/11/2025

Its a bit early, but the seafarers are already asking about Christmas...so the canteen has had a festive makeover today.
As Christmass comes closer, the Nativity scene will appear, one in the canteen and the major one in the Chapel, where folk can sit, reflect, and listen to carols and music for the festival.
We are well on the way to having 300+ individual gifts prepared as well at Rotary Christmas cakes and puddings through the generosity of out local Rotary Clubs. St Peter's Church members are also hand writing 300 Christmas cards for the Seafarers.
So we hope and pray for peace and goodwill through the coming weeks internationally.