SHIP VISITING

When a ship arrives in Port Everglades, a number of regulating agencies visit for the purposes of regulating the unloading of cargo and providing needed supplies for the ship and crew.  From the moment it docks to the time it sails, the vessel in port is a hive of commercial activity.

Seafarers are often busy when we board ships but the presence of a visitor offering sincere hospitality is a loving gesture that motivates many seafarers to visit our Center or to open up and share what's troubling them.  Unfortunately, seafarers do not have the privilege of going home and relaxing after a hard day's work. Instead, they remain on board around the clock, keeping their frustrations to themselves.

Increasingly, the time in port for seafarers grows shorter and shorter.  Visits from our Chaplain or volunteers give seafarers who may not get ashore the opportunity for some interaction with our ‘goodwill ambassadors’ for the port.  We frequently bring aboard goods from the store which seafarers have requested and pay for when we deliver them during our visits.