GAC reaches out to mariners with the Sailors’ Society in the Year of the Seafarer

As the global maritime community marks the Year of the Seafarer, the GAC Group is lending its experience and global reach to help the international maritime welfare charity, the Sailors’ Society.

2010 has been dedicated to mariners around the world by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), paying tribute to the vital role they play in global trade, encouraging young people to enter careers at sea and promoting greater understanding of the many issues seafarers face. The Sailors’ Society is part of the worldwide support network that seeks to safeguard the welfare of sailors everywhere. Every year, the Sailors’ Society receives over 20,000 warm woolly hats (an essential item of clothing, as any seasoned mariner can confirm) knitted by volunteers. This year, they will be sent – free of charge – to seafarers at locations as far flung as Brazil and Russia, courtesy of GAC’s global distribution network. GAC boarding officers will also share directories of the charity’s contact details with Ships’ Captains and crews, providing seafarers and their families with access to a valuable source of practical and emotional support at times of need. Strategic Support “Many GAC managers started their working lives at sea, so we appreciate the essential role that sailors play in our industry and understand the challenges they face,” says GAC Group President Lars Säfverström. “We have been supporting the Sailors’ Society for some years, participating in fundraising events and making Christmas donations. Now, as we welcome the Year of the Seafarer, this new partnership simply takes that support a strategic step further.” World Community Jan Webber, the Sailors’ Society Director of Fundraising, says: “We are thrilled to be working with one of the world's leading shipping, logistics, and marine services providers. We know that GAC is well recognised for its commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility, and we are very happy that it is reaching out to support the seafarers we all rely on. This goes a long way to enriching sailors’ lives and replacing their isolation with a real sense of belonging to a world community of mariners.” Ends IMAGES SHOW: Sailors Society Southampton Port Chaplain Frans Sahetapy (L) ; Sean O'Brien, Agency Manager, GAC Shipping (UK) Ltd, Southampton (R) with the Happy Harrier Captain & some of the crew. GAC Group President Lars Säfverström.

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