The International Seafarers’ Center (ISC) reports a significant increase in key visitation metrics for seafarers in the Port of New York and New Jersey. The number of seafarers visited rose from 10,179 in 2023 to 14,029 in 2024, while vessel visits increased from 1,770 to 2,301. This growth can be attributed to a fully staffed and engaged ISC team as well as the purposeful, continued expansion of ISC chaplain outreach, reaching seafarers in locations as far north as Yonkers, east to Red Hook and the Bronx, and south to Perth Amboy.

ISC Director Matthew Morse, Esq., highlighted the significance of these increases, stating, “We are encouraged to see these numbers grow. They reflect the admirable efforts of the ISC’s remarkable staff and chaplains and our collective efforts in expanding outreach and strengthening connections across the entire port. That said, numerical growth cannot be the only metric by which the ISC is measured – we must ensure that the quality of our visitations and outreach keeps pace with the quantity. This is a key area of focus for the ISC in 2025.”

Morse also noted that seafarer transports increased by 3,488 from 2023 to 2024, and visits to the ISC by seafarers, port workers, and truckers remained robust from 2023 to 2024, with approximately 24,500 individuals hosted, reaffirming its continued importance as a place of respite for the port community. Morse concluded: “We serve our seafarers even more effectively when we are supported by, and supportive of, our port community. I believe the ISC’s performance in 2024 helps illustrate this.”