Seafarer Welfare Charities and Support Organisations: A Complete Guide

A Network Most Seafarers Only Discover When They Need It

The maritime welfare sector is larger and more established than most seafarers realise — built up over more than a century by religious organisations, unions, and dedicated charities, and increasingly coordinated through bodies like ISWAN. The challenge isn't that support doesn't exist; it's that most seafarers only learn what's available when they're already in a difficult situation, rather than knowing in advance what's there and how to reach it.

The Major Organisations

ISWAN — International Seafarers' Welfare and Assistance Network

ISWAN runs SeafarerHelp, a free, confidential, 24/7 helpline available by phone, email, and live chat in multiple languages, covering everything from wage disputes and abandonment to mental health and family emergencies. ISWAN also runs the Seafarers' Mental Health Awareness campaign, the Yacht Crew Help line for superyacht crew, and the Fishing Industry Helpline. ISWAN doesn't typically intervene directly but connects seafarers to appropriate support — legal, welfare, medical, or practical — and can liaise with employers, flag states, and other organisations on a seafarer's behalf.

The Mission to Seafarers

Operating in roughly 200 ports across more than 50 countries, the Mission to Seafarers (sometimes known by its historic name, the “Flying Angel”) provides ship visits, seafarer centres, transport for shore leave, and pastoral and emotional support regardless of faith or nationality. The Mission also produces the Seafarers Happiness Index, the quarterly survey referenced throughout much of the industry's welfare research.

Sailors' Society

Sailors' Society provides chaplaincy, port-based support, and crisis response — including its Wellness at Sea programme, which trains crew members to support each other's mental health onboard. Sailors' Society has also been active in responding to major incidents affecting seafarers, providing immediate welfare support to crew and families.

Stella Maris (formerly Apostleship of the Sea)

The Catholic Church's seafarer welfare organisation, Stella Maris operates in around 50 countries and over 300 ports, providing chaplaincy, ship visits, and practical support — available to seafarers of all faiths and none, not just Catholic crew.