This document summarizes several items: 1) An Australian chaplain and an Italian priest were awarded the "Welfare Personality of the Year" award for their work helping seafarers. 2) The Port Giles Mission to Seafarers won an award for their contributions to seafarer welfare at a shipping industry awards event in Sydney. 3) Several Australian chaplains received recognition at the event for their work. 4) A new Secretary General was appointed to lead the worldwide Mission to Seafarers organization, and Australian representatives met with him to congratulate him.

1. GLAD TIDINGS No. 12 PART A
In this edition:
 International honour
for Australian
Chaplain
 Port Giles’ team
celebrates at Sydney
gala night
 Yet one more award
 Appointment of our
new Secretary
General
INTERNATIONAL HONOUR FOR AUSTRALIAN CHAPLAIN
 Quick visit to
Fremantle’s Flying Angel Club Christian love and admiration for Southampton
chaplain Dennis Claughton was the world’s seafarers in front of a
 MTS constitution
recently the recipient of a plenary IMO sitting, made up of
update
wonderful award. During a dignitaries from the world’s
ceremony at the International shipping nations. Bravo Dennis
 Australia’s shipping
Maritime Organisation in and Giacomo!
task – fifth biggest in
London, the secretary general
the world
of the ILO Mr Koji Sekimizu
announced that Dennis had
won the international “Welfare
Personality of the Year’ award
for 2012- sponsored by the
International Committee on
Seafarers Welfare. The award
recognised Dennis’ herculean
service to seafarers visiting
Fremantle Port over the last two
decades. It seemed most fitting
that Dennis shared the award
jointly with Fr Giacomo Martino
(of the Apostleship of the Sea,
Italy) deservedly acknowledged
for his lifetime achievements as
a frontline seafarers welfare
worker and policy maker. Both
Dennis and Giacomo were
thrilled to be able to- as spiritual
comrades- witness their
G
L
GLAD TIDINGS February, 2013 No. 12 Part A
A
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2. PORT GILES’ TEAM CELEBRATES AT SYDNEY GALA NIGHT
On the same night that the ceremony and
London awards were taking understandably overjoyed.
place, the Lloyd’s List What a remarkable milestone
Shipping Industry awards for our infant mission barely
were being celebrated by two years old!
nearly 500 industry members, Newcastle MTS also received
at its annual dinner in Sydney. a “highly commended”
Great excitement was award in this category which
generated when it was was timely recognition for all
announced that the Port the hard work our Newcastle
Giles Mission to Seafarers had team put in over the past 12
won the seafarers’ welfare months.
category award described A big thank you to Australian
as “a special award to an Maritime Safety Authority for
organization deemed to sponsoring this award and
have made an outstanding particularly to Allan Schwartz
contribution to the welfare of – AMSA’s general manager
seafarers”. Congratulations ship safety division for his
to Pt Giles’ chaplain Geoff, friendship and presentation
June, Joan and Thomas all of on the night.
whom were present at the
YET ONE MORE AWARD
At the Lloyds List gala night,
Welfare Society. As Dennis
an unexpected award- “The
was in the UK, his close
Seafarers Welfare Lifetime
colleague Michael Kitafuna
Achievement Award”- was
(Fremantle MTS’ principal
made to the Revd Dennis
ship visitor) received the
Claughton and MTS’ good
award on behalf of Dennis.
friend Captain Alan Tait of
the Australian Mariners
Page 2 GLAD TIDINGS February 2013 No. 12 Part A

3. APPOINTMENT OF OUR NEW SECRETARY GENERAL
In late November, it was made The Australian MTS family- now
known that the Revd Andrew active in 28 of those ports-
Wright would take over as wholeheartedly congratulates
secretary general of the Andrew on his appointment and
worldwide mission from February, wishes him all the very best in his
2013. new role; a role, it seems, he is
The Mission to Seafarers UK admirably equipped to take on.
announced, “we are delighted Andrew is presently chaplain and
that Andrew has agreed to join director of operations at the
us…he will provide the essential Royal National Mission to Deep
inspirational, strategic leadership Sea Fishermen based in
to our ministry chaplaincy teams Southampton. He is also the MTS
which offer welfare support in 258 honorary chaplain on the Isle of
ports in 71 countries around the Wight where he resides.
world, and oversee our
international HQ in London”.
QUICK VISIT TO SOUTHAMPTON
Fortuitously, the editor and provided an ideal about his Australian visit. And
Dennis Claughton were opportunity to share some when he arrives in Australia
visiting central office the day conference information with (his first visit) Andrew will at
the announcement was the new secretary general least recognise two friendly
made about the and get his preliminary faces from the many that will
appointment of a new feedback and thoughts warmly welcome him.
secretary general. Following
the Australians giving a
morning presentation to the
staff at central office about
the many great maritime
things happening ‘down
under’, it was decided that a
quick train visit to
Southampton to
congratulate Andrew might
be possible. Accordingly, we
were able to be one of the
first to congratulate him in
person- but he did tell us that
he had already received an
email from Chris Jones,
Australia’s MTS liaison bishop!
Andrew will be attending our
national conference next
August, so the short visit
Page 3 GLAD TIDINGS February 2013 No. 12 Part A

4. MTS CONSTITUTION UPDATE
It was decided at the last
meeting of the Australian State’s laws, should be
Council that our constitution investigated. Chair of the
needs to be brought up to Council Chris Jones is working
date as the original one is on draft documents with the
now over ten years old. It was Council’s Executive Officer
also decided that the that will reflect Council’s
advisability of the ministry decisions, and intends
operating as a company updating all centres on the
limited by guarantee subject progress of this exercise well
to Federal law rather than as prior to the Townsville
an incorporated association conference.
registered in NSW under that
AUSTRALIA’S SHIPPING TASK – FIFTH BIGGEST IN THE WORLD
The website of the Australian “stretched to the limits” international seafarers; and
Government’s Maritime providing welfare services in further stressed the urgent
Safety Authority informs that, expanding ports like Port need for welfare services and
“Australia, in terms of tonnes Hedland, Dampier, facilities at remoter ports
of cargo shipped and Gladstone, Newcastle, such as Cape Lambert,
kilometres travelled, is the Sydney/Botany and Port Abbot
world’s fifth largest shipping Kembla. In our meetings with Point, Weipa, Port Alma,
nation.” the Australian Government Wyndham, Gove and Groote
This comes as no surprise, we have stressed the Eylandt where crews are
particularly to many of our increasing pressure and isolated, forgotten and
MTS personnel who are critical role MTS plays in neglected.
ensuring the well being of
Page 4 GLAD TIDINGS February 2013 No. 12 Part A