Vital seafarer service in need of volunteers

Southern Ports and Mission to Seafarers (MTS) are calling for community volunteers to support critical driver services at the Port of Esperance.

New volunteers are urgently needed to ensure visiting seafarers can continue enjoying opportunities for shore-leave respite which often also benefits the local economy. 

Southern Ports Chief Executive Officer Keith Wilks said seafarers were the backbone of the global maritime industry.

“Starting my career at sea and having worked in the maritime industry for the past three decades, I fully appreciate the critical role seafarers play in often very difficult conditions,” Mr Wilks said.

“More than 4,000 seafarers came through our Port of Esperance last year, and although Southern Ports provides funding and other services to support them, they also rely on the local Mission to Seafarers Centre for local transport and respite.”

“Esperance has so much to offer visiting seafarers including local shopping and tourism, but we need community volunteers to help them access these opportunities.”

The volunteer-run service is looking for new drivers to assist in the provision of three daily pick up and drop off services from the Port into town and to the Mission to Seafarer Centre.

Its purpose-built centre on Dempster Road also provides vital opportunities for respite during shore leave for seafarers who can spend more than nine months at a time away from their homes and loved ones.

MTS Regional Director Sue Dight said shore leave had been shown to provide tremendous benefits to the health and wellbeing of seafarers.

“The global economy would fall apart without seafarers, and MTS volunteers support them in whatever way possible when they visit their ports,” Ms Dight said.

“At regional ports like Esperance, the focus is on providing a vital connection within the local community as well as safe haven to relax in while enjoying small creature comforts most of us take for granted.

“Our volunteers in Esperance have been advocating and supporting visiting seafarers since the 1960s and we want to keep offering this service for a lot longer, but we require the support of new volunteers from the community.”

Interested community members can head to MTS Esperance on Saturday 21 June to learn more about volunteering opportunities.

Community members will have the opportunity to hear from seafarers, Southern Ports representatives and Centre Manager Fred Lochowicz about volunteering with MTS and the important role seafarers play in our global economy.

“Our industry is in a much better place because of groups such as MTS Esperance and we’re sure our community will step up to continue supporting them in a time of need,” said Mr Wilks.

The open day event Cuppa and a Convo will take place at Mission to Seafarers Esperance on 168 Dempster Street from 1pm to 3pm on Saturday 21 June – for more information and to register your interest visit our Facebook page. 

Seafarer welfare is always top of mind for Southern Ports who along with Mission to Seafarers is an essential part of the Port Welfare Committees across WA’s southern ports.

Beyond its support for MTS including funding of buses and bicycles for seafarers, Southern Ports provides free Wi-Fi boxes for seafarers in port to connect with their families at home.

Southern Ports overall commitment to supporting seafarers was highly commended at the 2024 DCN Australian Shipping & Maritime Industry Awards.

For more information about Mission to Seafarers visit https://www.mts.org.au/, and to learn more about volunteering at MTS Esperance click here.