Australian seafarer welfare centres face volunteer crisis as ageing workforce struggles to maintain services

Ports are heavily regulated for safety and border control, which means in many harbours around the world, seafarers are never allowed to venture off their ships.

For thousands of international seafarers docking in Australia is their only opportunity in months to set foot on land.

In most Australian ports the Mission to Seafarers charity provides international workers with support, including the only transport allowed — a free shuttle bus.

But with its volunteers ageing, regional Mission to Seafarers chapters fear they will not be able to maintain services for much longer.

Shore leave vital

Australia has signed the Maritime Labour Convention (2006), a United Nations charter that states international seafarers should be able to leave their port for time on land.

Mission to Seafarer Portland chapter manager Neville Mason has been working in the port for more than 20 years, driving a shuttle bus to the Seafarer Welfare Centre, which he also runs.

"We have often found crew that have not stepped on land for three months or longer," he said.

"They love Australia.

Seafarer welfare centres are spaces near ports for the crew to relax, socialise, use the internet, get transport into town, currency exchange or access to medical care.

Sailor Paul Gegremosa said the centre have him his only opportunity to relax between months spent at sea.

"During my shore leave, we will be going to the city to access some food, groceries, or anything that relieves stress, like just sightseeing, because on board you will see the same ship, the same cabin," he said.

After a month-long journey from Japan, he has three days in Portland before his ship heads to China.

He said he could not go onshore in Japan and did not know whether disembarking would be allowed in China.

He worried that without the support of the Mission to Seafarers, simple comforts such fresh fruit or internet access could disappear.

"If you are a first-timer, it will be very hard — you must have a strong mentality because most of the time you will be away from your family," Mr Gegremosa said.

Gig responsibility for small town

About 5,000 seafarers come through the Port of Portland every year, and manager Neville Mason said almost all of them make use of the welfare centre.

Aside from Christmas Day, it operates every day from 11am–10pm.

Mr Mason said the Portland chapter once had plenty of volunteers, but these days had fewer than 20, who had an average age of 80.

"[Volunteers are] also volunteering at the op shop, at the Coast Guard, at the church fete — they're doing multiple volunteer jobs, so it stretches the whole volunteering workforce.

Portland's most dedicated volunteer is 91-year-old Ern Harrison, who works five six-hour shifts a week.

Mr Harrison believed Australia would not function without the international crew behind the shipping industry.

"Australia is a continent with water all around and if those ships come in from the other side of the continent, they've got 30 days sailing," he said.

Calls for federal funding

Australian ambassador for global advocacy group Human Rights at Sea, Paul MacGillivary, said the volunteer model was unsustainable.

He would like to see Australia to introduce a system similar to New Zealand's, where a portion of the government levies imposed on commercial ships docking is set aside to fund seafarer welfare services.

The NZ system was introduced in 2024 and has contributed about $1 million in grants to seafarer welfare centres and transport services this year.

"We've been proposing now for five years to adopt a New Zealand model and there's been huge resistance to that," Mr MacGillivary said.

He said the support for international seafarers had been left up to a charity organisation for too long.

A spokesperson for the federal transport minister said it was the responsibility of vessels, ports and Port Welfare Committees to ensure workers' rights set out in the Maritime Labour Convention are met.

"The Australian Government recognises the essential contribution international seafarers make to Australia's economy, trade and supply chains, and the vital support provided by seafarer welfare organisations and volunteers," the spokesperson said.

"Strong and active [Port Welfare] committees are critical to coordinating and providing local welfare arrangements and supporting practical delivery of Australia's Maritime Labour Convention welfare framework in ways suited to each port."