Spring 2026 Newsletter
Supporting Seafarers Trapped By A Global Crisis
As military tensions and conflicts continue in the Middle East, thousands of seafarers remain stranded in the Gulf region, caught by a crisis not of their making.
As the Strait of Hormuz [photo: NASA] became effectively closed, by the end of March an estimated 20,000 seafarers – and possibly more – were unable to move on, as hundreds of vessels sat delayed or unable to transit safely. For those on board, there is no easy alternative route, no quick return home, and very little certainty about what comes next.
These crews face serious and compounding risks. Operating vessels in a volatile environment places lives in danger, but the toll is not only physical. Extended time at sea without crew changes or shore leave brings mounting fatigue, anxiety and stress. For many, the familiar challenge of separation from family shifts into something more troubling: not just when they will return home, but whether they ever will.
Access to crews became increasingly restricted. The quiet, human presence that maritime welfare organisations such as the Mission to Seafarers normally offer – a visit to the ship, a conversation on the quayside – was often no longer possible. Support has had to adapt, replaced by phone calls, messages and remote contact. And through these limited means, a view of the seafarers’ shared experience emerged. It is marked by a deep sense of helplessness: being acutely aware of danger, while having no way to escape – the body’s natural instinct to flee or fight back has no available outlet. The result is a prolonged state of alert that slowly erodes physical and mental resilience. This strain is intensified by worries about families at home, the fragility of digital communication in a conflict zone, and, in some cases, uncertainty over wages or resupply. The ship can begin to feel like an enclosure with no exit and no release.
Peter Rouch, Secretary General at The Mission to Seafarers, has written:
“At The Mission to Seafarers, this is exactly where you will find us — standing alongside seafarers and the maritime industry. Despite the conflict, our welfare teams across the Middle East remain operational, providing emergency supplies where we can reach vessels and offering remote support when that is the only option. Seafarers must never feel abandoned when they most need support.”
Seafarers in need of urgent support can reach The Mission to Seafarers 24/7 through these channels:
- by email to crewhelp@mtsmail.org
- or by using our app: Happy@Sea
A crisis like this also shows the world-wide public just how much everyday life depends on seafarers – people who are often invisible until something goes wrong. Recognising seafarers’ vulnerability does not diminish their dignity. It affirms it. How we respond – as organisations and as individuals – demonstrates the kind of world we want to live in: do we value compassion, responsibility and care for those who cannot simply step away from danger?
You can read Peter Rouch’s March 2026 message in full on the Mission to Seafarers website:https://www.missiontoseafarers.org/news/peters-march-2026-blog
Lerwick Seafarers Centre – Open For Business
We’re delighted to have assisted the volunteers at Lerwick as they prepared to re-open the Seafarers Centre there for the start of the 2026 cruise ship season, with visits now expected to resume in late April.
Working with centre manager Stephen Denoon, we have provided them with laptop computers and a printer, a mobile phone and SIM card and a new roller banner to welcome visiting crews.
The centre has been operating for over ten years with an experienced team of volunteers offering a welcome and support for visiting crews. Tim Linkens, Interim Chair of MtSS Trustees, visited Lerwick recently and met Stephen Denoon and some of his team.
Tim says, ‘It was good to see the excellent work that Stephen and the team do here and to welcome the Lerwick Seafarers Centre into the MtSS family.’
New Kit For Our Volunteers
As a way of saying ‘thank you’ to all our volunteers who undertake ship visits or staff our Seafarers Centres in Grangemouth and now Lerwick, the MtSS Trustees have decided to gift each volunteer a polo shirt and a warm fleece in ‘Team Colours’ and sporting the Mission to Seafarers logo.
We hope you wear them with pride, because we are proud of you – and to help you spread the word about MtSS!
Our Chaplain Is On Course!
Reverend Tim Tunley continues on his path of treatment and recovery. He is doing well, in good form and hopes to make a return to work duties towards the end of April.
Thanks for your continued prayerful support.