Stella Maris is pleased to announce the deployment of a new vehicle for its chaplaincy and ship-visiting work in Ukraine, funded by leading mutual insurer, the UK P&I Club.
The vehicle, a Renault Express van, will be used to carry out vital ship-visiting work in Odesa and along the Black Sea coast, as well as deliver financial aid to out-of-work Ukrainian seafarers and their families, and support port workers, retired seafarers and their families in the region.
Stella Maris has maintained a physical presence in Ukraine throughout the war and this new vehicle provides a significant boost to its operational efficiency and morale. The vehicle will enhance the charity’s work supporting seafarers and their families and allow its chaplaincy team to extend their outreach as the war in Ukraine continues.
“We are very grateful to the UK P&I Club for stepping forward to fully fund the purchase of a vehicle that is essential for the work of our chaplaincy team in Odesa. The team continues to support seafarers and their families in desperate times and the new vehicle is already being put to great use in Ukraine, led by our local port chaplain Fr Alexander Smerechynskyy, and assistant chaplain Rostyslav Inzhestoikov.
“This is an excellent example of how financial support from our corporate partners and the shipping industry helps ensure that we can go that extra mile in the support we provide to those affected by crisis.” said Stella Maris CEO Tim Hill MBE.
Patrick Ryan Sustainability Director and Head of Club Secretariat from UK P&I Club commented: “The Club has a firm commitment to a range of maritime charities including Stella Maris. The life of a seafarer can be incredibly tough at the best of times, but during war, the challenges facing these individuals increase exponentially. Despite the obvious operational hurdles caused by the conflict, Stella Maris has never wavered in its commitment to Ukrainian seafarers and their families and we’re proud to be able to support them to continue to deliver support in these communities.”
Fr Alexander Smerechynskyy, Stella Maris port chaplain in Odesa, added: “This wonderful donation from UK P&I has made a massive difference, not just to our operations but also to our morale. We can now be much more effective and impactful, the sheer value of knowing we are supported and not forgotten after 19 months of war is beyond measure.”
Stella Maris’ response to the war in Ukraine
Stella Maris is the maritime agency of the Catholic church and is physically present and actively working in Ukraine to support seafarers and their families.
Since February 2022, Stella Maris has provided accommodation in Poland for 150 refugees displaced by the war, provided hardship grants to over 400 families affected by the war and distributed food parcels to retired seafarers, port workers and their dependants around Ukraine. It has also facilitated the distribution of over 3,000 mobile phone SIM cards across Europe to Ukrainians and other seafarers affected by the war, to ensure they can continue to maintain contact with loved ones back home.
In late 2022, Stella Maris launched a digital emergency mental health counselling service in Ukraine, to provide relief for some of the increasing number of men, women and children suffering trauma and poor mental health because of the war.