A LANDMARK agreement has been signed to boost the welfare of seafarers and fishers around the UK, including those visiting ports such as Milford Haven and Pembroke Dock.

The welfare centre used by seafarers visiting Milford Haven closed in 2015, with the loss of eight jobs, severely restricting welfare to seafarers.

The trustees of the International Seafarers’ Centre, in Robert Street, said they took the difficult decision to close the centre, following a fall in users.

A charity jointly managed by the Sailors’ Society, the Apostleship of the Sea and the Mission to Seafarers, had many years provided welfare facilities for visiting seafarers.

After the centre’s closure, The Apostleship of the Sea continued to operate in Milford Haven with a minibus service collecting sailors from oil terminals and taking them to shops, entertainment venues and helping them with provisions where required.

Since then, volunteers have been renovating the ground floor of the former Working Men’s Club on Victoria Road, Milford Haven with the majority of the works now being completed for use as a seafarer’s centre.

Now, six years after the closure of the dedicated centre, a formal agreement has finally been reached between the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the Merchant Navy Welfare Board (MNWB) which sets out ways both will work together to coordinate their approach to the provision of welfare.

The Memorandum of Understanding, The Herald understands, sets out the specific responsibilities of the two organisations, as well as committing to sharing information about matters affecting seafarers’ and fishers’ welfare, seeking advice and consulting on other issues.

The MoU formally designates the MNWB as the UK’s National Seafarers’ Welfare Board in accordance with ILO Maritime Labour Convention, 2006. The MNWB is the umbrella charity for the UK Merchant Navy & Fishing Fleets, with 45 Constituent member organisations providing welfare support to serving and retired UK seafarers, and their families.

Robert Courts, Maritime Minister, told this newspaper: “The MCA and the Merchant Navy Welfare Board have been doing a fantastic job of supporting seafarers during the pandemic. Signing a formal agreement reinforces our commitment to put welfare at the heart of the maritime industry both domestically and internationally, giving seafarers that extra assurance as we rebuild the sector and look to the future.”

Capt. Mark Andrews, of the UK Harbour Masters Association and Chair of Milford Haven MNWB Port Welfare Committee, added: “Given that 90% of everything we use in the UK comes by sea, it is pretty obvious that seafarers and fishers are key workers and their health and wellbeing are important to us all.  The ongoing pandemic has been particularly difficult for seafarers, often far from home for many months, who have endured more restrictions than normal. Despite this, the committee has continued to meet to review, support and help improve the welfare of seafarers and fishers locally.”

Julie Carlton, Head of Seafarer Safety and Health at the MCA’s UK Maritime Services, told The Pembrokeshire Herald: “This is an important step in ensuring we continue to work closely together, making the best use of the expertise and capabilities of each organisation. It will also help ensure seafarers’ and fishers’ welfare continues to be supported in our ports and through other services.”

Capt. Andrew Cassels, MNWB Chairman, said: “We are delighted that the MCA has formally recognised the ongoing, collaborative work of the Board by formally designating the MNWB as the UK’s National Seafarers’ Welfare Board. In particular, the agreement recognises the important contributions made by our many Constituent member organisations and voluntary Port Welfare Committees.”

In recognition of an already strong relationship, the MCA and the MNWB have been working together on welfare matters for years. This formal agreement demonstrates the UK government’s ongoing commitment to seafarers’ and fishers’ welfare and has most recently included support to get crews home during the pandemic.

The potential of a working partnership with the MNWB has already been seen – alongside The Seafarers’ Charity – with the provision of free mobile WiFi units for those seafarers stuck on ships during the pandemic, so they could stay in touch with friends and family. The government initiative showed how a partnership can be to the benefit of all seafarers.

As part of this relationship, the MCA will nominate a senior member of staff for appointment to the MNWB’s Council of Management, and representatives to attend Port Welfare Committees, Forums and Working Groups.

The Memorandum of Understanding sets out the following in terms of the joint approach:

• Ensure an integrated approach to the provision of welfare to seafarers and fishers.
• Provide the most effective use of resources and expertise to ensure compliance with seafarers’ and fishers’ welfare provisions of the ILO Maritime Labour Convention 2006 and ILO C188 Work in Fishing Convention.
• Promote collaboration of UK seafarers’ and fishers’ welfare at national, regional and local levels to ensure that effective procedures are in place and implemented.
• Review existing welfare facilities in ports to ensure the correct provision in the right places.
• Promote awareness of each organisation’s role in the provision of welfare to seafarers and fishers to improve collaboration and communication where necessary.
• Help to ensure that no seafarer or fisher is left without welfare support in the context of the responsibilities of the UK Government as set out in ILO MLC, 2006 and C188.
• Promote cooperation with other Member States of the ILO to promote the welfare of seafarers and fishers at sea and in port.