Our founder members wanted to raise public awareness of the commitment and sacrifice of merchant seafarers during war and conflict. MERCHANT SEAFARERS had been largely unacknowledged and certainly undervalued for far too many years. A national lobby would challenge the Government, and other organisations, towards appropriate and enduring acknowledgement of our maritime heritage and the contribution of merchant seafarers and fishermen in achieving the freedoms this country still enjoys.

The Merchant Navy Association was “launched” in 1989 and it provided a unique opportunity for seafarers to get together to form a national consensus towards a range of objectives. It was something that should have been initiated many years before that date but has made significant and enduring progress since those formative times.

The MNA is now a registered charity and our Constitution complies with the additional areas of responsibility required by the Charity Commission for a much broader brief for both welfare and advice. We remain consistent with those early objectives and sensitive to the current needs of the seafaring community as we continue to raise awareness of our maritime heritage and the opportunities for work in the maritime sector, which employs over 350,000 people with about 32,000 still working at sea.

I hope you will take something from what you see here today and support our seafarers, our campaigns and our fundraising activities.  

Kind Regards

Capt J M R Sail MNM MNI
MNA National Chairman