The Center for Seafarers’ Rights

By Attorney Douglas B. Stevenson

Director of the Center for Seafarers’ Rights of the

Seamen’s Church Institute of New York & New Jersey

From its offices in New York’s South Street Seaport, the Seamen’s Church Institute’s Center for Seafarers’ Rights upholds the Institute’s century and a half mission of advocating for the rights of the world’s seafarers.

The Center for Seafarers' Rights is a division of the Seamen's Church Institute of New York and New Jersey. The Institute is an ecumenical, voluntary agency of the Episcopal Church which since 1834 has sought to promote merchant seafarers' dignity, well-being and professional training.

The Center for Seafarers' Rights is the Institute's advocacy arm. It serves as a center for research, legal assistance and training on issues relating to seafarers' abuse and exploitation. It provides free legal counseling, assistance and referrals to merchant seafarers and seafarers’ welfare agencies worldwide. The Center’s lawyers, directed by attorney Douglas Stevenson, regularly handle cases ranging from denial of shore leave and bad food to preparing a petition to the International Court of Justice to compel Nigeria to free a Ukrainian crew held hostage for over two years. Increasingly, the Center has assists crews who have been abandoned in far-flung ports by insolvent ship’s owners.

The Center also works to improve national and international law and practices protecting seafarers and improving maritime safety. Center attorneys regularly participate in United Nations, International Maritime Organization, International Labor Organization and United States Congressional and other countries’ legislative deliberations relating to seafarers’ issues. It was instrumental in amending U.S law relating to stowaways and is now seeking changes in international standards relating to piracy and repatriation.

The Center collaborates with the maritime industry and organizations that share its concern for the problems caused by sub-standard ships. Contributions from individuals, corporations and organizations help it to continue their efforts to publish seafarers' rights pamphlets, upgrade the level of ship operations, provide crucial pro-bono legal assistance to exploited seafarers worldwide and to present worthwhile programs for the maritime industry.

For more information about the Center for Seafarers’ Rights, contact its director, Douglas B. Stevenson at: The Seamen’s Church Institute, 241 Water Street, New York, NY 10038; telephone 212 349 9090, facsimile 212 349 8342, email csr@seamenschurch.org or visit their website at www.seamenschurch.org.