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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2026 Maritime Bell Awards Luncheon
April 28, 2026
On April 23, 2026, More than 300 maritime leaders and professionals gathered at the Hilton Americas–Houston for the Seamen’s Church Institute’s Annual Maritime Bell Awards Luncheon. During the event, Kelly M. Teichman, Executive Chairman of T&T Group of Companies, received the Maritime Bell Award, and Sandra Ashford, Director of Training, HSSE at Ingram Marine Group, […]
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Meaningful Ministry is Wherever I Stand
March 18, 2026
by the Rev. Nancy Simpson — Chaplain, Ministry on the River, Houston Ship Channel & Gulf Coast Region From the February 2026 Quarterly Activity Report As I arrive at Gulf Coast boat docks, I take a moment to center my mind and heart before beginning mariner visits aboard the towboats. My vehicle is fully equipped […]
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SCI Attends TTB2026 Conference in Mobile, Alabama
March 18, 2026
While some staff were in Connecticut attending the CMA-Shipping Conference, SCI was also represented at Marine Log’s Tugs, Towboats & Barges Conference in Mobile, Alabama, on March 10–11, a premier event dedicated specifically to the inland maritime market. Communications Director Evan Brown attended on behalf of SCI at this key inland maritime conference. “With the […]
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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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Chaplaincy Offers Hope In Difficult Moments
January 21, 2026
by the Rev. Geoffrey Davis SCI Chaplain, Ministry on the River, Lower Mississippi & Gulf Coast Region From the December 2025 Quarterly Activity Report One of the great aspects of working in the maritime industry, particularly on the inland side, is the abundance of advancement opportunities. As an SCI Chaplain, it is a tremendous blessing […]
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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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NAVIGATING TOWARD HEALTHIER MARINERS: CMA’s Efforts to Build a Culture of Wellness Within Inland Maritime
November 4, 2025
Philip C. Schifflin, Jr., Esq. Director, Center for Mariner Advocacy At the Seamen’s Church Institute, we have always placed a high priority on the wellness of mariners—both their physical health and mental well-being. In my role as Director of SCI’s Center for Mariner Advocacy, I have been working on a range of initiatives aimed at […]
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