By Naomi Walker, Ph.D.

Manager, Special Projects

Seafarers on a months-long contract sometimes pass weeks aboard their vessel before calling at the Port of New York and New Jersey. Living and working in the same space with nowhere else to go to decompress means that spending time ashore is of great importance. It’s vital to get off the ship and be in a different environment, even if it’s only for a few hours of shore leave.

This may seem simple, but with all the cranes and heavy machinery around, the sprawling area of the port is not a walkable environment. It’s essential to have some transport, especially for seafarers who are constrained to a tight schedule, often with only a short time to spare before they return to the ship. Without SCI transportation, seafarers would have to rely on taxi services that are either reluctant to go to the port terminals, don’t have the security to get through the gates, or charge exorbitant prices to do so.

The drivers at the International Seafarers’ Center, therefore, play a crucial role in SCI’s mission. Currently a team of three, Aileen Crisonino, Denise Davis, and William Mercer are dedicated to serving mariners in this important way, and among them they cover transportation requirements from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day.

When William started with SCI four years ago, he says he was expecting it to be simply a transport service. But he quickly realized that it’s much more than that. “It’s more about communication than a driving job. I get to talk to people from different parts of the world and understand their situation better. I give them all the information they need, what’s available to them through SCI’s services, and really try to make them feel at home.”

Denise, the newest member of the team, joined in January 2026 and can already see the difference that SCI makes for this workforce. “It’s striking how important it is to the seafarers to make the most of every last minute they have of shore leave—they are so grateful for the service we’re offering. I realized quickly that communication is a big part of the job. It’s important to be kind and courteous—you don’t know what they’re going through, and they’re on the ships for so long. You have to have a heart to do this job.”

“You have to have a heart to do this job.” -Denise Davis, ISC Driver

A common request that seafarers make is to be driven to the Jersey Gardens Mall, where they can make purchases for themselves and their loved ones. As Aileen, who joined SCI in 2021, told me, “most seafarers are so happy to be able to have a few hours of free time in the mall or at ISC. It really helps to clear their mind and give them a reset before going back to work.”

Among the everyday trips, every now and again our SCI drivers get to experience something special. William reminisced about one ride he gave to a Ukrainian seafarer who made an unusual request to go just from his vessel to the terminal gate. It became clear why soon enough when his brother met him there. They hadn’t seen each other in over four years, and his brother had traveled from Pennsylvania to see him. William got to witness their reunion as they shared a long hug and took a photo for them before he left.

Some seafarers are visiting the U.S. for the first time, full of excitement at seeing the Statue of Liberty and other sights. But, there are different “firsts.” Recently, on the brink of a snowstorm in January, William took some Filipino seafarers to the mall, and the snow began falling as they drove. As they got out of the van, the group immediately started touching the snow and taking photos, and William found out that for some, it was the first time in their lives they’d experienced a snowfall.

Moments like these, says William, remind all the drivers that they’re working with people just like us. He says, “One of the good things about SCI is that everyone understands that seafarers are the reason for our day, the reason why we’re here doing the jobs we do. It’s all about them.”