Seminar on Cruise Ships & Seafarers' Welfare

The International Seafarers' Welfare & Assistance Network (ISWAN) is holding a seminar on cruise ships and seafarers' welfare in Venice on Friday 23 May 2014.

Cruise ship crews are different from those on other merchant ships. For a start there are far more seafarers on a cruise ship. Also, catering and 'hotel' staff on cruise ships are defined as seafarers and many of these are women. 

The services and facilities aimed at seafarers on cruise ships need to be adapted to meet their needs. With the growth of the cruise ship sector the seminar will be looking at the welfare needs of seafarers aboard these vessels and how they can be met, both on board and in port.

The seminar will provide an opportunity to learn and share experiences and knowledge about this growing sector of seafarers' welfare. 

The following speakers are confirmed:

Mr. Giuseppe Bianco, MSC Cruise Shipping Company
Mr. Fabrizio Barcellona, International Transport Workers Federation
Mr. Per Gullestrup, Chair of ISWAN 
Fr Giacomo Martino, Apostleship of the Sea Italy
Fr Roger Stone, Apostleship of the Sea, UK
Mr. Andrea Pesce, Friends of Stella Maris Seafarer Centre, Italy.

Other speakers from the Port of Venice and Costa Shipping Company have been invited.