The International Christian Maritime Association is an ecumenical association of 28 Christian organisations, representing different churches and Christian communities. The members are all non-profit organisations actively engaged in welfare work for people who work at sea, including seafarers, fishers and the families of both. The Association is registered as a charity in the UK and, through its members, operates internationally. ICMA was founded in 1969. It seeks to encourage ecumenical collaboration and mutual assistance between its member organisations at international, national and individual port levels. The ICMA members' chaplains are obliged to serve seafarers, fishermen and their dependents regardless of their nationality, religion, culture, language, gender or race, in accordance with the Association's Code of Conduct.
Activities
The International Christian Maritime Association is a professional association for port chaplaincy. It sets the standards for chaplains' education and training, accrediting courses and soliciting funds for course delivery. ICMA considers itself an enabling network, strengthening partnerships among members and across denominations to provide a continuum of care for seafarers who move from port to port. This is achieved by regional and global meetings and conferences, a network directory, communication systems and ecumenical relations. ICMA members employ more than 1,000 port chaplains and many more volunteer personnel. They also maintain more than 500 seafarers' centres and other shore-based welfare facilities and services in almost all international sea- and river ports. Its members specialise in providing face-to-face frontline pastoral care to seafarers, fishers and families in ports, on board and at home. The Association's ministry of advocacy for seafarers rights and justice is achieved by participating in the United Nations' International Labour Organization and the International Maritime Organization. ICMA contributed to the formulation and ratification of the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006. Members of the ICMA network also provides legal advice for chaplains who support seafarers. For example, The Mission to Seafarers has a Justice desk in London and the Seamen's Church Institute of New York and New Jersey runs the Center for Seafarers' Rights from its office in New Jersey. In addition, ICMA contributes to and uses the services of Seafarers' Rights International. ICMA collaborates in social partnership with the industry to promote the dignity and welfare of seafarers. ICMA members cooperate locally with unions and representatives of the International Transport Workers' Federation, shipping companies, agents and governments. ICMA is part of the International Seafarers' Welfare and Assistance Network and the Maritime Piracy Humanitarian Response Programme. The International Christian Maritime Association has a Secretariat based in the United Kingdom.
Member organisationshttp://icma.as/index.php/members/
