Introduction: ICMA invites its members to the 2024 Africa Regional Meeting in Durban, South Africa from 12-14 August 2024. This meeting will gather members and partners from across the region. The seminar focus will be on key trends and challenges in seafarers’ welfare of common interest to our members. The theme will be “Adapting to Change : Sustaining Our Work” The meeting will take place in Durban, South Africa with opportunities also to visit with maritime partners in the city.
Meeting hosts and sponsors: Thank you to the ICMA member societies in Durban for hosting us. Financial support from the ITF Seafarers’ Trust. The Rev’d Cedric Rautenbach (The Mission to Seafarers) is the ICMA regional coordinator.
Invitation: ICMA’s Africa region includes chaplains, ship visitors, and staff from ICMA members in any African port. Seafarers’ welfare partners are also welcome to attend, if space allows.
Registration for meeting: register for meeting and book hotel room here [click here]. Due to the generosity of our local host partners and the ITF Seafarers’ Trust, we can offer the program and food at no cost for all registrants and also a limited number of hotel rooms (2 nights) at no cost. Please indicate whether you would like to request a scholarship to cover the cost of your rooms in the signup form.
Theme: “Adapting to Change : Sustaining Our Work”
Hotel: Hotel Blue Waters, 175 Snell Parade Marine Parade, Durban, 4056
Schedule:
Monday 12 August
- 13h00 – 13h30 – Welcome and Registration
- 13h30 – 15h00 – Session 1 (meeting room hotel)
- Welcome and Introductions – Dr. Jason Zuidema (ICMA General Secretary)
- Welcome from our hosts and local partners – Ron Kusel (German Seamen’s Mission – Durban)
- Thematic presentation: “What can we do to build sustainable partnerships?” – The Rev’d Cedric Rautenbach, ICMA regional coordinator and The Mission to Seafarers Africa regional director
- “Seafarers’ Wellbeing and Seafarer Development,” – Nothando Minange, Administrator, National Seafarer Development Program, South African International Maritime Institute (SAIMI)
- 15h00 – 15h45 – Break (hotel)
- 15h45 – 17h30 – Session 2 (meeting room hotel) – Seafarers’ Welfare: Government and Industry Perspectives
- • Sibusiso Rantsoabe, Manager, OHS & Maritime Welfare, SAMSA
- Jonathan Whittington, Managing Director, Rennies Ship Agency
- Capt. Ian Rosario, Director of Operations, MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, Durban, SA
- 17h30 – 18h00 – Opening Prayer
- 18h00 – Opening dinner (hotel)
Tuesday 13 August
- 9h00 – 9h15 – Daily Prayer
- 9h15 – 10h45 – Session 3 – “The Plans and Programs of ICMA: Past and Future”
- Dr. Jason Zuidema (ICMA)
- Rev. Dr. Forbes Maupa (Mission to Seafarers – Durban)
- 10h45 – Coffee Break
- 11h15 – 12h15 – Session 4 – “What best practices have we learned on adapting to change?”
- Wimpie van Schoor (CSO)
- Jaco Leeuwner (Biblia Harbour Mission)
- 12h15 – 13h15 – Lunch
- 13h15 – 14h45 – Session 5 – “What best practices have we learned for the sustainability of seafarers’ missions?”
- Peter Cottrel – Durban Seafarers’ Mission
- 14h45 – 15h15 – Coffee Break
- 15h15 – 17h45 – Session 6 – Seafarers’ Ministry Challenges and Success
- Moderator: Dr. Jason Zuidema, ICMA
- Sebastian Drabinski (Deutsche Seemannsmission, Alexandria, Egypt)
- Fr. Rico Talisic (Stella Maris, Cape Town)
- 18h00 – Dinner (hotel)
Wednesday 14 August
- 9h00 – 9h15 – Daily Prayer
- 9h15 – 10h45 – Session 7 – “Seafarers’ mental health and wellness”
- Johan Smith (Sailors’ Society – Wellness at Sea)
- Dr. Nick Parker-Ross (Shipmed medical doctor)
- 10h45 – 11h15 – Coffee Break
- 11h15 – 12h15 – Session 8 – “‘For those in peril on the sea’: Resources for seafarers in a time of crisis”
- Mark and Eva Claasen, The Mission to Seafarers
- 12h15 – Lunch
- 13h00 – 17h00 – Free afternoon with a variety of options
- 17h00 – Travel to Durban Seafarers’ Mission
- 18h00 – 18h45 – Closing Devotion at Durban Seafarers Mission
- 18h45 – Closing Dinner at Durban Seafarers’ Centre & End of ICMA program
Thursday 15 April and Friday 16 April – Departures or society meetings
For more information: gensec@icma.as