Fall 2 0 1 7 
TEAM MARINER
T
The 2017 SCI Mountain Challenge was a
huge success. Competitors’ spirits were high
as 49 teams of three pulled together to push
themselves, completing challenges, scaling
peaks, and paddling an 11-mile stretch of
river. The event raised awareness and money
for SCI’s services to mariners.
Those on the mountain experienced
moments of difficulty pushing them outside
their comfort zones, as they faced challenging
terrain, unknown routes, and the possibility
of changing weather for just two days. But
what about the seafarers who spend up to
nine months aboard ship? Or the mariners
who complete six hour shifts around the
clock for 28 straight days?
Each Mountain Challenge team had a GPS
tracker with an SOS-button. Their cell
phones could be used in most areas, and
trained personnel were stationed throughout
the course to ensure a safe return. But for
mariners, there is no such safety net.
The SCI Mountain Challenge had a bad
weather contingency plan. If a weather
system rolled in that would endanger the
participants, we had alternative routes and
activities planned. But for mariners, pressure
to meet delivery schedules often makes
avoiding storms impossible.
Aside from these practical difficulties, a
recent video produced by the UK P&I
Club Crew Health team outlined some
of the more personal trials experienced
by international seafarers, many of which
also affect the inland river mariners.
Four Things I Learned During a Summer at Sea
This summer, SCI Archivist SHORE LEAVE IS A
Jonathan Thayer, spent 45 FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT
days at sea acting as ship's
After spending up to 16
librarian aboard SUNY
consecutive days slowly
Maritime's training ship Empire
crossing the Atlantic, I
State VI. Here are four things
discovered how valuable
he learned:
The Seamen’s Church Institute
Volume 1 0 9 /N umb er 3
Let’s stay connected:
Facebook.com/seamenschurch
For example, mariners are separated
from their families for long stretches of Twitter @seamenschurch
time. They often miss out on important Instagram @seamenschurch
milestones such as a spouse or child’s
birthday, graduation, or even the passing
and laying to rest of a loved one. Seafarers In this issue
today encounter longer working hours,
tighter deadlines, and greater responsibility Director’s Log
than in times past, as crew sizes have
decreased along with modernization.
Mariners also have very little downtime.
Advances in shipping have made the world
our proverbial oyster, but they have a major
2 Silver
Bell Awards
Why I Give
impact on mariners. Historically, seafarers
coming into port would have days on shore for
6
3
leisure while the ship was unloaded and loaded.
Containerization made this a thing of the past,
Big Ships
as enhanced mechanization means a quicker
turnaround for ships in port, which doesn’t Suicide
allow much–if any–time for shore leave. Prevention
So who stands by mariners as they face
these challenges? SCI does. SCI’s mission
6
is to support the men and women of
the maritime industry professionally,
3 Giving
Tuesday
practically, spiritually, and emotionally. Mountain
SCI chaplains lend a listening ear, crisis Challenge
8
incident stress management, and practical
assistance. The Center for Seafarers’ Rights
ensures legal support. Our Centers for
Maritime Education provide professional
development that enhances safety on U.S.
4
inland waterways. And our Christmas at
Sea program imparts human warmth and
gratitude through its seasonal gift program. Founded in 1834, the
In Mountain Challenge terms, SCI is firmly Institute is a voluntary,
on “Team Mariner”.
ecumenical agency
affiliated with the
shore leave is, especially Episcopal Church that
for seafarers, some of provides pastoral care,
whom work much longer
maritime education, and
stretches of time without
setting foot on land. The legal and advocacy
simple act of ordering a
services for mariners.
continued on page 7
seamenschurch.org
 Executive Director’s Log
Dear Friends,
SCI’s story stretches back over 180 years. This
history provides a foundation for what we do
today, and inspiration for tomorrow: no matter
how times change, SCI’s focus will always be the
wellbeing of the mariners we serve. The events of
2017 form part of SCI’s narrative, making their
mark on our wider story.
At our Silver Bell Awards Dinner in June, we
heard the inspiring tale of how Dr. James S.C.
Chao came to America, building up his shipping
company—the Foremost Group—through hard
work and dedication. Dr. Chao, our Silver Bell
honoree, was introduced by his daughter, the
Honorable Elaine L. Chao, US Secretary of
Transportation. One of his other daughters,
Angela Chao, who is now the Deputy Chairman
of Foremost Group, gave an interview at the
Silver Bell Maritime Forum, telling her own
story of how she came to the shipping industry,
the only one of her siblings to follow in her
father’s footsteps.
Accounts of a different nature
emerged at SCI’s Mariner Health
SCI SUSTAINING Roundtable held in May at the
Center for Maritime Education in Paducah, KY. Here, representatives from
SPONSORS
inland river companies got together with SCI staff and researchers from Yale
School of Medicine to discuss the physical and mental health challenges
facing towboaters and their families. Following this, SCI launched an
e-learning module in suicide awareness, and trained three staff members to give
workshops in suicide intervention. We hope that through such initiatives, the
stories of mariners suffering from stress, depression or suicidal thoughts will be
turned around, the endings re-written, and hope restored.
In September, competitors flocked to Maine for the 2017 SCI Mountain
Challenge. Some participants were returning for the third time, some had
© Fall 2017 Volume 109/Number 3 never been to an SCI event before. Some traveled from as far away as
Published by Singapore, the UK, or Peru, and some made the journey from New York to
The Seamen’s Church Institute Maine by car. No matter where they hailed from, all left with their own stories
of a challenging and enjoyable weekend.
seamenschurch.org At SCI, we welcome the stories of those who have both contributed to
our ministry, and those who have benefited from it. We have made many
212-349-9090 friends over the years and rely on their support. We hope that by reading this
fax: 212-349-8342 newsletter, you’ll be encouraged to share in our story too, whether through
sci@seamenschurch.org volunteering, attending an event, making a donation, or arranging a legacy
Richard T. du Moulin gift. On behalf of all at SCI, thank you.
Chairman, Board of Trustees Yours faithfully,
The Rev. David M. Rider
The Rev. David M. Rider
President and Executive Director

Editor, Naomi Walker

Design & Production, Bliss Design
The Lookout is printed on recycled paper.
President & Executive Director

2 • The Seamen’s Church Institute The Lookout Fall 2017

 The first SCI-led ASIST course,
held at the Center for Maritime
Education in Paducah, KY

Suicide Prevention and

Mariner Health
This year saw SCI roll out two resources relating to
the issue of suicide among mariners in the inland river
community.
The first, an e-learning module on suicide prevention,
can be taken anywhere, at any time by those who
are part of SCI’s e-learning network. SCI developed
the module with the collaboration of the Education
Development Center (EDC), as well as the American
Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), a national
charity and think-tank dedicated to the issue.
This module is ideal for providing a brief overview of the
problem, offering advice and resources when dealing with
employees who are considering suicide. SCI’s unique position
as a trusted third party within the maritime community
means that we are able to take resources relating to the wider
population and customize them to meet the needs of the
inland mariner community. For more information on this,
please contact Lisa Nally lnally@seamenschurch.org, or
Michael Nation mnation@seamenschurch.org.
The second major resource on offer by SCI is a two-day
LivingWorks ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills
Training) course. This internationally-recognized course
provides participants with the skills to recognize when
someone is at risk of suicide, approach the issue with them,
and put together an effective plan which will help them to
achieve “safety for now.” Three SCI staff members undertook
The LivingWorks
intensive training to become
ASIST workshop
officially registered ASIST trainers,
and the Institute is offering the has been
course to anyone who wishes to join
it but particularly those involved taken by more
in the maritime community. For
than 1 million
further information or to register,
visit seamenschurch.org/ASIST. people worldwide.
SCI hosted a Mariner Health
Roundtable in May 2017, covering
the issue of suicide prevention as
well as mariner health more generally, including topics
related to weight and nutrition, smoking cessation, fatigue,
dehydration, stress management, and exercise.
One of the participants commented, “It was a very helpful
day – it was enlightening and interesting to hear what
other people in the industry are doing. The open-forum
was well-facilitated and it was extremely useful to hear
from people in the medical profession as well as those in
the industry.”

Why I Give the support that SCI gives

We interviewed Ted Jadick,
President of DNB Markets,
Inc., about his commitment
to fundraising for SCI through
the 2017 SCI Mountain
Challenge. Ted won second
place in the Top Individual
Fundraiser category of the
Philanthropy Challenge with
a total of $13,852, and third
place in Top Team Philanthropy with a total
of $17,155.
Why do you feel SCI is a worthwhile cause?
It’s very easy to forget what a challenging
industry this is. Very few people understand
how taxing it is emotionally, mentally, and
physically. Crews are the front line day after
day, and night after night. It is a hard job, so
to mariners is invaluable.
Participating in this event is a great way
for DNB to show our commitment to the
industry, and this is a meaningful and
You were very successful
different way to support it. We’ve also seen
in the Philanthropy
the quality of the event and the enthusiasm
Challenge. How did you
of the participants grow and grow each
raise so much money?
time—it’s a lot of fun.
I know a lot of people who
are at a high level in top What did you take away from the Challenge
shipping companies. They this year?
understand how critical Fulfillment on so many levels—from people
SCI’s work is. They were supporting me financially in the Philanthropy
very encouraging to me Challenge, to my performance on the course.
in this endeavor and more than willing to Two years ago I was injured so I wasn’t able
support the cause, because they know the to take part, but it felt great to be back this
value of SCI’s services. year. It also gave me the opportunity to spend
time with like-minded people, and that
DNB has sent teams to every Mountain
camaraderie is so enjoyable. Individually,
Challenge event since it started, and you
I benefited professionally and personally,
participated in the first SCI Mountain
and for DNB it was a chance to show our
Challenge in 2013 as well as this year.
philanthropic commitment to a great cause.
What keeps you and DNB coming back?

seamenschurch.org The Lookout Fall 2017 • 3

The 2017 SCI Mountain Challenge:
a test of endurance, inspired by mariners

S
September 28th – October 1st, 2017 saw 150 participants Congratulations go to this year’s overall winners and
representing over 44 companies in the maritime industry defending champions, team Baere Force 1 from Core
compete against each other in the mountains of western Petroleum and Baere Maritime, whose combined Varsity
Maine to raise funds for the Seamen’s Church Institute course time plus fundraising total put them in first place.
(SCI). The biennial SCI Mountain Challenge, now in its For Junior Varsity, overall first place went to The Schulte
third season, provides participants with the opportunity to Summiteers from Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement,
push their physical limits in support of mariners who face who also won Top Team Fundraiser in the Philanthropy
extreme conditions every day to keep our modern way of Challenge, raising $23,319. Casey Dalcher from Baere
life afloat. Course times, plus philanthropy dollars raised, Force 1 was Top Individual Fundraiser in the Philanthropy
contributed to each team’s overall final ranking and awards. Challenge, raising $17,434. Fastest course completion for
Varsity went to Challenge newcomers Green Peak Partners,
But why a mountain race? SCI believes it’s symbolic. Each
and team Screaming Eagles from American Bureau of
working day, mariners push themselves in a race against time
Shipping came first on the Junior Varsity course. For more
and nature to deliver the world’s commerce. Taking place on
information on the event, or to view the complete results
land and water, the SCI Mountain Challenge acknowledges
listings, visit scimountainchallenge.com. You can also view
many of the hardships mariners confront on a daily basis:
photos from the event on Flickr.com/seamenschurch.
the elements (facing northern New England’s notoriously
unpredictable weather), isolation (teams
work self-sufficiently on the mountain
and water race courses) and physically
demanding work (participants ascend
over 3,000 feet each day).
As of mid-October, the event
has raised over $315,000 in the
Philanthropy Challenge, and
it is still possible to donate by
visiting smschur.ch/MC17Support.
Cargill returned as the Lead Event
Sponsor for the third consecutive SCI
Mountain Challenge event. Other
opportunities for support included
sponsoring one of the Peak Challenges,
which included a Geo-Cache
Challenge, sponsored by TOTE; an
award for fastest team hiking between
two peaks, sponsored by Cargill; and a
Cairn-Building Challenge, sponsored
by McAllister Towing. Sponsors
also underwrote the Event Bags, this
year sponsored by Liberian Registry,
the Fueling Station, sponsored by
Teekay Shipping, and the Finish Line
Celebration, sponsored by Scorpio
Bulkers and Scorpio Tankers.
Jennifer Koenig, SCI’s Director of
Development, said, “The event is hugely
popular and we are delighted with the
support we received: the competitors
had a blast and the SCI team is thrilled
with its success.”

4 • The Seamen’s Church Institute The Lookout Fall 2017

seamenschurch.org The Lookout Fall 2017 • 5
Special Events
Calendar
Giving Tuesday
Tuesday, November 28, 2017
Support SCI
at: smschur.ch/scidonate
Maritime Training
Benefit Luncheon
Canceled due to Hurricane Harvey
18th Annual River Bell
Awards Luncheon
Thursday, December 7, 2017
Paducah McCracken County
Convention and Expo Center,
Paducah, KY
Honorees:
River Bell Award
James F. Farley, Kirby
Corporation (ret.)
Lifetime Achievement Award
Scott McGeorge, Pine Bluff
Sand & Gravel Company
Distinguished Service Award
Cherrie Felder, Channel Shipyard
Leadership in Safety Award
Shell Trading (US) Company,
accepted by Capt. Tim J. Downs
41st Annual Silver Bell
Awards Dinner
Wednesday, June 6th, 2018
Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piers,
New York, NY
6:00 pm Cocktail Reception
7:30 pm Awards Dinner
More information can be
found at seamenschurch.
org/special-events
Follow us on
Instagram @scievents
Port Newark Food Truck Fest a Success
6 • The Seamen’s Church Institute The Lookout
40th Annual Silver Bell Awards Dinner
On June 8, 2017 at the 40th Annual Silver
Bell Awards Dinner, the Seamen’s Church
Institute (SCI) presented the prestigious
Silver Bell Award to Dr. James S.C. Chao
of Foremost Group. The Honorable Elaine
L. Chao, U.S. Secretary of Transportation,
Chao Family: L-R Angela Chao (Deputy Chairman,
Foremost Group), Dr. James S.C. Chao (Chairman,
gave introductory remarks and presented
the award to her father.
Foremost Group), the Hon. Elaine L. Chao (US
Secretary of Transportation), May Chao Dr. James S.C. Chao, who features in the
International Maritime Hall of Fame at
the United Nations, is the Chairman of Foremost Group shipping
company. He received the Silver Bell Award in honor of his
commitment to education, as well as his long and abiding dedication
to quality ship owning, crew welfare, and his significant charitable
services. Dr. Chao is a frequent lecturer worldwide on international
shipping and has led the global shipping industry in incorporating
environmentally-friendly designs and technology in his company’s The Blessing of the Fleet, presided
fleet of new ships which are among some of the world’s largest by The Rt. Rev. Andrew Dietsche,
bulk carriers. Bishop of New York
SCI also honored Mr. Joseph Cox (ret. Chamber of Shipping of
America) with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding contribution to the
maritime industry and commitment to seafarer welfare over the course of his career.
The Distinguished Service Award was awarded to Mr. Richard (Rick) Calhoun (ret.
Cargill), in recognition of his leadership in the industry and commitment to improving
the infrastructure for inland waterway transportation.
The Silver Bell Awards Dinner was held at Pier 60 at Chelsea Piers in New York
City, and was preceded by the Silver Bell Maritime Forum. Speakers included ADM
Charles Michel, Vice Commandant in the US Coast Guard. Read a full report
at smschur.ch/maritimeforum17.
Bayonne Bridge
The CMA CGM Theodore Roosevelt
approaches the newly-raised Bayonne Bridge
Allows for Big Ships
On September 7th, 2017, the largest vessel
ever to visit the East Coast arrived under the
newly-raised Bayonne Bridge. The bridge
was raised specifically to accommodate these
giant vessels, and the brand new 14,400 TEU
container ship CMA CGM Theodore Roosevelt was its inaugural
vessel. A team from SCI visited the ship soon after it berthed,
enjoying a tour and talking with the crew.
SCI’s second annual Port Newark Food Truck Festival was a great success, raising over
$23,000 to benefit the Seamen’s Church Institute. This unique event took place in the
only green space in the port, and was underwritten by a record 14 supporting sponsors.
The festival brought together the port community, as guests gathered at SCI’s
International Seafarers’ Center in Port Newark, NJ, enjoying a selection of five food
trucks, beer tasting, and games.
Fall 2017
Four Things I Learned… continued from page 1
coffee from a cafe, or being able to
go shopping for supplies becomes a
transformative luxury.
Every year, the Seamen’s Church
Institute conducts its Shore Leave
Study to measure seafarers’ access
to shore leave in U.S. ports, and to
identify the most common barriers
preventing seafarers from getting off
their ships. Fortunately for me, this
process was relatively straightforward.
Negotiations with port customs
officials were taken care of by the
very competent (and largely cadet-
run) security detail. I received a
TWIC (Transportation Worker
Identification Credential) card in the
spring, and therefore had permission
to come and go from the pier. And,
a simple laminated “Liberty Card”
was distributed to me at the gangway
when I disembarked in any port, and
collected upon my return in order
to track who was on ship at any
given time.
There is a long legal precedent that
has established shore leave as a
fundamental right that all seafarers
should be entitled to. As I experienced
this summer, this is with very
good reason.
SHIPS ARE INFORMATION SILOS
There are many deprivations at sea.
But given that most of my shipmates
were young enough that they were
practically born with a mobile
device in their hands, isolation from
information must be among the
most challenging.
For most of the cadets and crew, our
ship at sea was an information silo; we
worked with what we had on board.
No internet and strictly-limited email
meant turning to encyclopedias,
atlases, dictionaries, and old fashioned
books on shelves. It also meant shared
hard drives and local networks to
exchange digital files. Laptops loaded
prior to cruise were worth their weight
in gold.
At the sight of any speck of land the
rails would crowd with bodies huddled
over cell phones, trying to discern
a signal. I heard that the Captain
seamenschurch.org The Lookout
kept us just far enough out of range
intentionally in order to keep us
away from our cell phones as long as
possible, so that cadets could acclimate
to life at sea.
As the ship’s librarian, news from
home and the wider world came to
me in a simple email from the campus
library which I would print out: one
copy for the library, one copy for the
officers’ mess.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS CAN
BE IMPORTANT PARTS OF THE
DAILY ROUTINE
Ship life, for me, simplified every
aspect of my daily routine.
Each day I would wake up, spend an
hour or so reading in my room, head
down to the library for my first shift,
eat lunch, return to the library for
my second shift, eat dinner, return
to the library for my third shift, and
then head to my room for bed. This
left about two or three hours of free
time during the day. Options for how
I spent that time were limited; I could
watch a DVD, read a book, or chat
with shipmates. Fortunately, there
were three separate gyms on ship, and I
chose to use the cardio room for about
an hour almost every day. Food services
were regular and predictable, so that
amidst all of the other deprivations
at sea, cutting out simple things like
dessert or carbs did not feel like an
enormous personal sacrifice.
The takeaway for me was that ships
do have the capacity to facilitate
the personal health and wellness
of seafarers on board, but that
capacity depends on resources being
made available.
SAFETY AT SEA IS PARAMOUNT
I stood on deck of the T/S Empire State
staring at the bottom of lifeboat #2,
hanging from its davits, for about half a
dozen hours during fire and emergency
drills this summer. During these drills
my thoughts drifted back to the 1915
La Follete Seamen’s Act, also known as
the “Magna Carta of Seamen’s Rights,”
that Congress passed in the wake of the
Titanic disaster.
The 1915 Act set regulations for
continuous watches and musters,
dedicating about 2/3 of its text
to specifications for the strength,
buoyancy, capacity, weight, and
equipment of lifeboats. Even the
davits were scrutinized. Many of these
provisions remain intact even today,
as was evident onboard the tightly
regimented Empire State.
Since we were on a training ship, we
were not usually constrained by the
same tight schedule as a commercial
vessel, and we were able to avoid
storms and poor conditions at sea.
Most seafarers are not in such a
fortunate position, and encounter
working environments that surpass any
of the challenges and discomforts that
I experienced this past summer. Safety
at sea for these seafarers is not abstract
historical legislation, but a way of life
on ships.
Johnathan Thayer,
SCI Senior Archivist
Fall 2017 • 7
THE SEAMEN’S CHURCH INSTITUTE
NONPROFIT ORG.

SCI
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Ways to Give to SCI 
Use the envelope in this Volunteer Follow
Support the people who deliver the edition of The Lookout or mail
your check to The Seamen’s SCI offers many ways volunteers Go to facebook.com/
goods that make our modern way
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New York, NY 10004. centers or email volunteer@  Follow @seamenschurch
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Donate Call 212-349-9090 and make
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Remember:
a contribution over the phone Collect @seamenschurch
with your credit card. and @scievents.
Many companies match employee In addition to handknit scarves
donations to eligible nonprofits. Sponsor and hats, SCI’s Christmastime Check out our photos
at flickr.com/photos/
Ask your employer about SCI provides prominent recognition to gift to mariners includes
increasing the value of your gift items found at most ordinary seamenschurch.
its underwriters. Become a corporate
to support mariners. sponsor and link your company’s supermarkets donated by people
like you. To find out more, contact Remember SCI in your estate

Donate online at philanthropy with North America’s
cas@seamenschurch.org plans. Email legacygiving@
donate.seamenschurch.org/ largest and most comprehensive or visit our website. seamenschurch.org for more
give. mariners’ service agency.
information.

GIVING TUESDAY — November 28th

Hot on the heels of Black Friday and
Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday is a
chance to give back. This year, on
NOVEMBER 28th, we’re asking you
to remember SCI. Because without
the mariners we support, all of the
goods we purchase over the holiday
weekend wouldn’t make it to the
shelves! They were
#BroughtToYouByMariners.
So join with us to say
#ThankYouMariners and
kick off the #GivingSEAson
by donating to SCI!
Mark November 28th on
your calendar today and support SCI eligible purchases to SCI at no extra
at: smschur.ch/GivingTuesday17 cost to you. All you need to do is
ensure that you browse and make your
As you make your gifts purchases on
purchases through smile.amazon.com
Amazon this year, remember SCI!
and have chosen “The Seamen’s
Making purchases when logged into
Church Institute” as your beneficiary.
Amazon Smile will ensure that Amazon
Thank you!
donates 0.5% of the value of your

8 • The Seamen’s Church Institute The Lookout Fall 2017