Maersk and the Mission at Felixstowe

UK Chamber visits Marit Maersk and Mission to Seafarers’ centre in Felixstowe

This week, the UK Chamber visited the Mission to Seafarers’ centre in Felixstowe, followed by a tour of containership Marit Maersk.

With over 90% of UK trade moved by ship, and 287,000 jobs supported by the UK shipping industry, it was fantastic to see a snapshot of this in action at the port. We marvelled at the scale and efficiency of the immaculate Marit Maersk and the precision and speed of the work at the docks.

Following the successful collection at the UK Chamber’s Annual Dinner earlier this month that raised almost £6,000 for the Mission to Seafarers, it was great to see first-hand the work they do to help seafarers who may only be in the country for a short time, but are a long way from home. The centre provides use of a phone and the internet, somewhere to relax and read a book, or simply have a moment of reflection and peace. 

We were touched to hear about the people throughout the UK who knit woolly hats for the seafarers who may not be prepared for colder climates, or who may just be missing home comforts. More seriously, we heard about the support given to a seafarer from abroad who, upon arriving at Felixstowe, found out he had lost his mother.

Thanks to Maersk for taking us along, and to the staff of the Mission to Seafarers for showing us around their centre. To see all our photos, visit the UK Chamber's Flickr page.