At the annual Mission to Seafarers Luncheon in June 2025, it was announced that Seafarer Connect will receive $50,000 in funding from the NSW Seafarers’ Welfare Fund.
This fund is a new initiative and is supported by NSW Government through the Port Authority of NSW, Port of Newcastle and NSW Ports.
This new support will strengthen Seafarer Connect’s network of free Wi-Fi devices for international seafarers visiting New South Wales ports. For crews who often spend months at sea with little or no communication, having reliable and free internet when they arrive in port can make an enormous difference.
Seafarer Connect is already available at many berths in Sydney, Newcastle and Port Kembla, but the funding will allow that footprint to expand and deliver next-generation technology to provide a faster, more resilient service to more concurrent active users aboard each ship.
The provision of this free, fast and reliable internet connection allows seafarers to call home, check in on family, access vital health and education resources, or simply carry out the daily tasks people ashore take for granted, like banking or staying up to date with world news. For many, it is a crucial link to normal life.
The NSW Seafarers Welfare Fund represents a unique collaboration between government, industry, and welfare organisations, and this latest grant recognises the essential role that internet access now plays in seafarer welfare. The foundation would like to thank all port operators for their support in this endeavour and acknowledge the ongoing commitment to seafarer welfare services like Stella Maris, Hunterlink and the Mission to Seafarers that the NSW Seafarers Welfare fund has also recently contributed to.
Seafarer Connect, delivered by the Tas Bull Seafarers Foundation, continues to expand across Australian ports. With the support of partners like the NSW Seafarers Welfare Fund, the project is ensuring that seafarers arriving in Australia are welcomed with the connectivity they need and deserve.