The Seamen’s Church Institute (SCI) hosted Inland and Gulf Maritime leadership for their annual Maritime Training Benefit Luncheon on April 20, 2023, at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Houston, Texas. This event, chaired this year by Austin Golding (President and CEO of Golding Barge Line) and Clark Todd (President and CEO of Blessey Marine Services), […]
Facilitated by SCI’s Center for Mariner Advocacy Director Phil Schifflin, the Mariner Wellness Steering Committee is currently comprised of three maritime professionals and one medical professional familiar with the health-related challenges faced by mariners in the inland marine industry. While the committee will eventually focus on a full range of issues, they will start with […]
From The Masthead, March 2023 Facilitated by SCI’s Center for Mariner Advocacy Director Phil Schifflin, the Mariner Wellness Steering Committee is currently comprised of three maritime professionals and one medical professional familiar with the health-related challenges faced by mariners in the inland marine industry. While the committee will eventually focus on a full range of […]
Pastoral Activity Report—March 2023—by Chaplain James Kollin, International Seafarers’ Center, Port Newark. On a recent ship visit, I encountered a crew complaining about problems with the food they were given during their voyage. “We’ve had no vegetables for a month already, and we’re not happy about it,” said one seafarer. “Our officers kept telling us […]
Report from the December 2022 IMO/ILO Joint Tripartite Working Group
January 20, 2023
The governing bodies of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and International Labor Organization (ILO) approved creating a Joint Tripartite Working Group (JTWG) to identify and address seafarers’ issues and the human element. The JTWG already has several items on its worklist, including the abandonment of seafarers, sexual assault/sexual harassment in the merchant marine, and criminalization […]
What’s in a Name: The Seamen’s Church Institute of…
January 20, 2023
The Seamen’s Church Institute updates its official name By Mark Nestlehutt – SCI President and Executive Director During our almost 200-year history, the Seamen’s Church Institute (SCI) has operated under various names. We began in 1834 as the Young Men’s Church Missionary Society before focusing our efforts solely on mariners in 1843, which was reflected […]
The Seamen’s Church Institute Welcomes The Reverend Christine Brunson As Its First Houston-Based Chaplain
December 16, 2022
Following a comprehensive search process, the Seamen’s Church Institute (SCI) is pleased to announce the selection of the Reverend Christine E. Brunson as its newly appointed maritime Chaplain. Christine will be based at SCI’s Center in the Houston Ship Channel and begins her work on Tuesday, January 17. “We are truly excited to have Christine […]
River Bell Awards Luncheon 2022 — December 8 — Paducah, Kentucky
December 16, 2022
The Seamen’s Church Institute welcomed the inland river transportation industry for the 22nd Annual River Bell Awards Luncheon on Thursday, December 8, in Paducah, KY. This year’s sold-out event featured Jim Guidry, Executive Vice President of Kirby Marine Transportation Group, receiving the River Bell Award, and Frank Morton, Founder and Director of Turn Services, taking home […]
SCI President and Executive Director, The Rev. Mark Nestlehutt, joins Christopher Aversano on The Last Dinosaur, a podcast focusing on digitization in the maritime shipping space. In this episode, Chris and Mark discuss the work SCI does, connectivity, building resilience networks, and Christmas at Sea. Click the play button below to listen.
The Rev. Mark Nestlehutt, President and Executive Director, The Seamen’s Church Institute Last week, the National Weather Service noted the water level in Memphis at negative 10.75 feet—the lowest ever recorded at that mile marker. The Mississippi and Ohio rivers, from top to bottom, are currently experiencing unprecedented low water this year, significantly suppressing the […]