International Christian Maritime Association

The International Christian Maritime Association (ICMA) is an ecumenical association of 28 Christian organisations, representing different churches and Christian communities. The members are all non-profit making organisations actively engaged in welfare work for people who work at sea, seafarers and fishers and their families. The Association is registered as a charity in the UK and, through its members, operates internationally.

ICMA was founded in 1969. It seeks to encourage ecumenical collaboration and mutual assistance between these different organisations at international, national and individual port levels. The ICMA members' chaplains are obliged to serve seafarers, fishermen and their dependants regardless of their nationality, religion, culture, language, gender or race, in accordance with the Association's Code of Conduct.

The International Christian Maritime Association is the professional association for port chaplaincy. It sets the standards for chaplains' education and training, accrediting courses and soliciting funds for course delivery.

The International Christian Maritime Association considers itself an enabling network, strengthening partnerships among members and across denominations to provide a continuum of care for seafarers who move from port to port. This is achieved by regional and global meetings and conferences, a reliable network directory, effective communication systems and sound ecumenical relations.

ICMA members employ more than 1,000 port chaplains and many more volunteer personnel, and maintain more than 500 seafarers' centres and other shore-based welfare facilities and services in almost all international sea- and river ports. Its members specialise in providing face-to-face frontline pastoral care to seafarers, fishers and families in ports, on board and at home.

The Association's ministry of advocacy for seafarers rights and justice is achieved by participating in the United Nations' International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO). ICMA contributed to the formulation and ratification of the Maritime Labour Convention, MLC2006. The ICMA network provides legal advice for chaplains who support seafarers. The Mission to Seafarers has a Justice desk in London and the Seamen's Church Institute of New York and New Jersey (SCI) runs the Center for Seafarers Rights (CSR) from its base in New Jersey. In addition, ICMA contributes to and uses the services of the Seafarers Rights International (SRI).

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