CME Named a MARAD Center of Excellence
September 10, 2026
Evan Brown—Director, Communications: Seamen’s Church Institute The Seamen’s Church Institute’s (SCI) Center for Maritime Education (CME) has been designated a Center of Excellence for Domestic Maritime Workforce Training and Education by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD), recognizing CME’s demonstrated success in training and developing the nation’s maritime workforce. The five-year designation places […]
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SCI to Welcome A New Maritime Chaplain in St. Louis
July 16, 2026
SCI’s Ministry on the River is pleased to announce that the Rev. Charles Uhlik will join the organization as Chaplain serving the Upper Mississippi River region, based in St. Louis. Beginning September 30, he will expand SCI’s chaplaincy presence along the inland waterways, providing dedicated pastoral care and support to mariners from St. Louis northward […]
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Honoring Leadership and Supporting Seafarers at SCI’s 2026 Silver Bell Awards
June 15, 2026
The Seamen’s Church Institute (SCI) welcomed 635 maritime leaders and professionals to Chelsea Piers in New York City on June 11, 2026, for an evening celebrating the maritime industry and honoring two exceptional leaders: John Wobensmith, recipient of the Silver Bell Award, and Adm. Linda Fagan (USCG, Ret.), recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award. The […]
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The Status of Chaplaincy in Supporting Seafarers in the Strait of Hormuz
June 9, 2026
Many across the maritime industry remain deeply concerned about the ongoing challenges facing seafarers transiting or stranded in the Strait of Hormuz. While SCI is a U.S.-based organization, our mission compels us to stay connected with seafarer welfare organizations around the world, monitoring conditions and supporting mariners wherever they serve. According to Phil Schifflin, Director […]
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Seafarers and the Strait of Hormuz
March 19, 2026
Statement Regarding Seafarers Stranded and Under Threat in the Strait of Hormuz The Rev. Mark NestlehuttPresident & Executive Director, The Seamen’s Church Institute The escalating conflict in the Middle East has placed seafarers in an increasingly dangerous and untenable position. Vessels that once planned to transit the Strait of Hormuz are now stranded and under […]
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New Report Highlights Urgent Need to Improve Inland Mariner Well-Being
February 11, 2026
In 2025, more than 75% of crisis responses by SCI’s Ministry on the River Chaplains were related to physical or mental health issues, with only 23% connected to accidents. Mariners faced challenges including heart attacks, extreme fatigue, anxiety, depression, substance use, and suicidal thoughts—signs of a deepening wellness crisis within the inland maritime community. As […]
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CME Expands Partnerships and Impact in 2025
January 22, 2026
Throughout 2025, the Center for Maritime Education continued to collaborate with partners across the U.S. inland and Gulf Coast maritime industry. Mariner enrollment remained steady, with training schedules in Paducah, KY, and Houston, TX, fully booked throughout the year. Across both facilities, CME worked with more than 1,200 mariners in our simulators and provided e-Learning […]
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SCI Welcomes Inland Maritime at 2025 Record Setting River Bell
December 12, 2025
The 2025 River Bell Awards Luncheon, one of the inland maritime industry’s most prominent annual gatherings, was held in Paducah on December 11. This year’s luncheon welcomed 634 attendees, setting a new River Bell record, as the community came together to celebrate the industry and recognize outstanding leadership and service. Congratulations to our award recipients […]
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San Jac Volunteers Assist SCI in Packing Holiday Warmth for Mariners
November 4, 2025
On Thursday, October 30, students and faculty from San Jacinto Maritime College gathered in La Porte, TX, to volunteer at the Seamen’s Church Institute’s (SCI) annual Christmas at Sea on the River packing event. Under the coordination of SCI Chaplain Nancy Simpson and San Jac’s Capt. Amy Arrowood, participants packed and labeled 2,745 hand-knit and […]
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Mariner Wellness Insights from GICA and AWO Industry Discussions
September 18, 2025
Philip C. Schifflin, Jr., Esq.Director, Center for Mariner Advocacy At the Seamen’s Church Institute (SCI), we have always prioritized the wellness of mariners, both their physical health and their mental well-being. As Director of SCI’s Center for Mariner Advocacy, I regularly advocate for policies and practices that strengthen mariner wellness. In August, I had the […]
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