[The Mission to the Seafarers] We are delighted to announce that Ken Peters Director of Justice and Public Affairs for The Mission to Seafarers has won a highly prestigious accolade, a Judges’ Special Award for Outstanding Services to Seafarers, as part of the International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN) Awards.

The 2015 International Seafarers’ Welfare Awards – showcasing excellence in the provision of seafarers’ welfare - took place at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in London last night and was given by Secretary-General Mr Koji Sekimizu. The Awards are funded by the ITF Seafarers’ Trust and sponsored this year by Inmarsat, the leading industry and pioneer of mobile satellite communications.

The expert judges that nominated Ken for a special award this year were Mr Masamichi Morooka President of the International Shipping Federation and International Chamber of Shipping; Steve Cotton General Secretary the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF); Fr Bruno Ciceri, Chairman of the International Christian Maritime Association (ICMA) and Rose George, author of the award winning book 'Deep Sea and Foreign Going: Inside Shipping, the Invisible Industry that Brings You 90% of Everything.’

The Revd Canon Ken Peters said: “I am delighted and deeply honoured to receive a Judges Special Award from the International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network.

I am especially pleased that one of the awards is named after the late Dr Dierk Lindemann. He was a personal friend of mine and I worked with him for many years. I remember the work Dierk did to bring to fruition the MLC 2006 whilst serving as MD of the German Ship owners’ Association and Ship Owners’ Group spokesperson at the ILO from 1976-2006. 

In all of my thirty six years with The Mission to Seafarers the MLC is the most significant convention for the wellbeing of seafarers addressing their living and working conditions.  One of the Mission’s key strategic objectives is to ‘champion seafarers who have suffered due to injustice and mistreatment’ and the Mission continues to be an ardent and persuasive advocate for seafarers at the IMO and ILO championing their well-being.  Our port chaplaincy teams and loyal ship-visiting volunteers around the world look after seafarers and their families in need every day. Last year our welfare case work increased by 7% with around 3,000 cases being managed in 2014. 

There is more we all need to do to ensure justice for seafarers.  Thank you to the judges and ISWAN for this great honour which is in fact an honour to all The Mission to Seafarers’ supporters, volunteers, chaplains and staff; and so I accept this on behalf of The Mission to Seafarers.”