“The ports are at their peak in the run-up to Christmas, meaning even longer working hours for seafarers and shoreside workers,” says Deacon Joe O’Donnell.
Joe works for Catholic maritime charity Stella Maris (formerly known as Apostleship of the Sea) as their Senior Area Port Chaplain for Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Christmas is a boom time for supermarkets and shops. However, the tills would not be ringing as much were it not for the men, and occasionally, women, who spend the best part of a year away from their families back home.
People are often unaware that about 90 per cent of goods that arrive in the UK do so by sea. That’s everything from cars to computers and from fruit to clothes.
Recognition
Joe said: “The nature of seafarers working at sea is rarely recognised.
"This is due to most people not having access to port operations and not really understanding how much their daily life depends on seafarers keeping global supply chains moving.”
“I would suggest that only during the pandemic were seafarers acknowledged as key workers.”
Many seafarers come from the Philippines, Russia, Ukraine, or India and they find it hard not being with their loved ones at Christmas.
It is not uncommon to hear from a seafarer that he has not spent a Christmas at home for many years.
Our gifts will add sparkle...One ship’s master told me that we seem to be the only ones who care.
This is why Stella Maris Port Chaplains and volunteer ship visitors try to make Christmas in port as special as possible for seafarers arriving here.
Joe explains that often seafarers would like to attend a church service while anchored in port over Christmas, but this is not always possible.
“Although there are no daily operations in port on Christmas Day, the crew still have watch duties and carry out maintenance work on board. Obviously, these can coincide with times of services.”
Celebrating Christmas
Seafarers find different ways to celebrate Christmas, explains Charles Stuart, the Stella Maris Regional Port Chaplain covering Southampton, Portsmouth and other ports on the south coast.
“I've seen Christmas trees made out of plastic water bottles.
The cook will prepare a special meal and the shipping company may give an extra allowance for this. People of all faiths will come together to celebrate a feast day. Some who have time and can afford it will buy festive food and wine from the supermarket when in port.
“I wish you could see the smiles on seafarers’ faces as I arrive on board with a sack full of presents. Sometimes I even dress up as Father Christmas and bring a volunteer as my elf!
"Seafarers might be strong, hardy people, but their eyes shine as we hand out gifts. For many, it’s their only Christmas present.
“Our gifts will add sparkle to the table and offer a link to the world from which they are so often isolated, and they will remember us for this.
"One ship’s master told me that we seem to be the only ones who care. I also heard from a master of a tanker who told me his company offered only a small chocolate bar for each member of the crew. He said he had them in his cabin, but he was too embarrassed to give them out because he felt this reward was too paltry.”
In the coming weeks, hundreds of vessels will stop in UK ports. Stella Maris chaplains around the UK will go on board to share Christmas joy with seafarers and provide gifts to them.
To find out more about Stella Maris' work, or to make a donation to its Christmas Appeal for seafarers, go to stellamaris.org.uk