by the Rev. Grace Pardun, SCI Supervisory Chaplain, Ministry on the River, Upper Mississippi & Ohio River Region From the February Quarterly Activity Report It was Friday night, and I had just fallen asleep. My dog was curled up next to me, snoring away. I was drifting off to dreamland when, in my dream, an […]
Read Moreby Bridgit Patterson Communications Associate October 1, 2015, is a date forever etched in the minds of those in the U.S. maritime industry as it marks the tragic loss of thirty-three lives when the SS El Faro succumbed to the devastating force of Hurricane Joaquin, sinking 40 nautical miles northeast of Crooked Island, Bahamas, during […]
Read MoreStefan Dreisbach-Williams Archivist The Seamen’s Church Institute’s mission almost always focuses on the living. When we encounter death at sea, our efforts are most often channeled toward meeting and tending to the survivors: the crew who remain, or the friends and families left behind. As we reflect on the tenth anniversary of the El Faro […]
Read MoreSeptember is Suicide Awareness Month—a time to come together in solidarity, reflection, and support. At the Seamen’s Church Institute, we are deeply committed to walking alongside mariners, especially in moments of struggle and uncertainty. We recognize the unique challenges mariners face and the importance of ensuring that no one faces these challenges alone. For mariners […]
Read Moreby the Rev. Grace Pardun Supervisory Chaplain, Ministry on the River, Upper Mississippi & Ohio River Region From the September 2025 Quarterly Activity Report I was in the midst of serving on a panel discussion at the Gulf Intracoastal Canal Association (GICA) conference when my phone went off. “Excuse me,” I whispered as I stood up […]
Read MoreSCI Chaplains Minister to Mexican Cadets and Crew After Tragedy After the tragic allision of the ARM Cuauhtémoc with the Brooklyn Bridge on May 17, 2025, the Seamen’s Church Institute (SCI), with coordination of the US Coast Guard and GMD Shipyard in Brooklyn Shipyard, reached out to the vessel to offer support. SCI Chaplains Michelle […]
Read MoreThe Rev. Dr. Bill Allport, Chaplain, International Seafarers’ Center, Port of New York & New Jersey From the June Quarterly Activity Report A recent weekend maritime incident involved the capsizing of a recreational vessel in a southern coastal river channel that resulted in multiple fatalities. A nearby tugboat crew responded immediately after a deckhand exited […]
Read MorePassenger jet with 64 aboard collides with Army helicopter while landing at Reagan Airport near DC AP headline – January 30, 2025 Quarterly Activity Report by SCI President and Executive Director, the Rev. Mark Nestlehutt – February 2025 When I first heard the news of the mid-air collision near Washington, DC, I was on my […]
Read MoreAt 9:04 p.m. on Wednesday, July 5, those title words above rang out on the 12th deck of the M/V Grande Costa d’Avorio, while berthed near the Seamen’s Church Institute’s International Seafarers’ Center at Port Newark. The 28 crewmembers from the Philippines, Italy, and Romania, immediately went to their muster stations, where they began fire […]
Read More
