Seafarer's welfare

The welfare of seafarers in the United Kingdom is the responsibility of the Merchant Navy Welfare Board. The principal objectives of the Board are assessing the welfare needs of merchant seafarers and their dependants and the co-ordination of the work of societies and charitable organisations concerned with the provision of welfare services.

The Board is governed by a Council of Management which consists of equal numbers of representatives of Shipowners, Seafarers and Nautical Charities. It has over forty constituent member charities and maintains Port Welfare Committees in all regions throughout the UK.

The London and South-East Port Welfare Committee meets three times a year to discuss maritime welfare issues of a national and local nature. The following organisations are represented on the Committee (all links open in a new window):

• London Port Health Authority
• Port of London Authority
• Watch Ashore
• Apostleship of the Sea
• Guy's and St Thomas Hospital Trust
• Queen Victoria Seamen's Rest
• The Royal Alfred Seafarer's Society
• Mission to Seafarers
• British and International Sailors' Society
• Seamens' Hospital Society
• Port of Tilbury London Ltd
• Seafarers' Benefits Advice Line
• Merchant Seamens' War Memorial Society
• Dover Seafarers' Centre
• Nautilus (NUMAST)
• Swedish Seamens' Church
• Seamen's Christian Friend Society
• German Seamens' Mission
• Danish Seamens' Church
• The Finnish Seamen's Mission
• Tilbury Seafarer's Centre

Click here for more information about the Merchant Navy Welfare Board (opens in a new window).