Landmark event at the Yacht club of Greece marks a new chapter in seafarer welfare support with HRH The Princess Royal as guest of honour

The Mission to Seafarers, one of the world’s leading maritime welfare charities, launched its global services to the Greek shipping community at a special event held at the Yacht Club of Greece. The launch marks a significant milestone for the 170-year-old organisation as it establishes a permanent presence in Greece and deepens its engagement with one of the world’s most influential maritime nations.

The event, held on Friday, 22 May, welcomed  HRH The Princess Royal and her husband Vice-Admiral Sir Tim Laurence to the closing reception alongside Peter Rouch, Secretary General of MtS and Matthew Lodge HM Ambassador to the Hellenic Republic, the day-long programme was divided into four parts: A Lunch and Round Table hosted by Jan Webber, Director of Development, both bringing together 24 leaders from the Greek shipping industry for a series of presentations and discussions. This was followed by a drinks reception for 100 guests.

A SafeTALK suicide-alertness training session also took place at NorthStandard’s offices in Piraeus. Delivered by Tom O’Hare, MtS’ Programme Manager and accredited SafeTALK trainer, the session brought together 40 crewing managers to experience this important training firsthand, with a view to extending it to their seafarers. With a waiting list of a further 20 it is expected that this course will be repeated in the Autumn.

We extend our thanks to our Headline Sponsor, V.Ships, and Supporting Sponsor, Inmarsat, for their generous support of this event and our presence in Greece.

Jan Webber, Director of Development, The Mission to Seafarers, said: “Greece’s shipping sector plays a vital role in global maritime trade, and we recognise its significant contribution to the lives and livelihoods of those who work at sea. We look forward to building trusted partnerships and ensuring our welfare support is well-targeted, relevant, and effective. My personal thanks go to Dimitris Patrikios, V.Ships for his vital assistance with our VIP guest list and Kostas Katsoulieris for allowing us to use NorthStandards’ offices. We have taken our first small steps in reaching out to the Greek shipping community and we have received nothing but warmth and recognition for our work, which is an encouraging sign.”

The roundtable sessions addressed: Women at Sea: How gender diversity strengthens crew culture and performance, and how much it depends on establishing the right culture and Supporting Mental Wellbeing at Sea: addressing severe distress and the risk of suicide, and focused on how the industry can respond with clarity and empathy.

Dimitris Patrikios, Vice Chairman, Senior Business Development – Mediterranean, V.Shipssaid: “We are proud to support The Mission to Seafarers’ presence in Greece at a time when seafarer wellbeing is inseparable from the safety and sustainability of our industry. It was a true honour to meet HRH The Princess Royal, whose longstanding commitment continues to inspire action across the maritime industry. Bringing the Greek shipping community together in this way reinforces our shared responsibility to keep the human element at the heart of shipping. We are delighted to contribute to that collective effort.”

In tandem, Peter Rouch attended a Union of Greek Shipowners Lunch also attended by HRH The Princess Royal and Sir Tim Laurence.

Founded in 1856, The Mission to Seafarers provides practical and emotional support to the world’s 1.9 million seafarers across more than 200 ports globally. Its services span chaplaincy and pastoral care, mental health support, emergency assistance, and advocacy. The organisation has supported seafarers of all nationalities -including Greek seafarers, throughout its long history.

The Greek launch builds on this legacy, with MtS now focused on forging partnerships with Greek shipping companies, listening to their needs, and tailoring its welfare programmes to the realities of life aboard Greek-managed and Greek-owned vessels. The Seafarers Happiness Index for Q1 2026 recorded a score of 7.18 out of 10, underlining the ongoing need for proactive welfare support.