Welcome to the
NAMMA website

NAMMA is an ecumenical, Christian association of individuals and organizations involved in maritime ministry throughout North America, including the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. Founded in 1932 as the National Group of Seamen’s Agencies, it was renamed NAMMA in 1991. Its mission is to provide a framework to support and assist port chaplains and others in their ministry to the spiritual, moral, human rights, and physical concerns of mariners and all others in the maritime community.

NAMMA helps equip port chaplains with the resources needed to carry on their ministry. It acts as a consultant and coordinator for services and training, as well as providing standards for these services.

NAMMA includes many ministries from a wide variety of denominations, as well as the maritime ministries of North America: Apostleship of the Sea (Roman Catholic), The Mission to Seafarers (Episcopal and Anglican). NAMMA's members include 41 major maritime ministry agencies and approximately 150 member chaplains.

2008 NAMMA AWARDS: The Joe R. Gerson Humanitarian Award was given to the United States Coast Guard for their efforts on behalf of seafarers. And the Seafarer's Salute Award was given to Hapag-Lloyd. NAMMA's president, Maggie Whittingham-Lamont of Halifax said, "I have been visiting the Hapag-Lloyd 'Express ships' for many years in Halifax and the crew are usually very content. The company offers bonuses for continued services as well as medical care for the seafarer and his family even when he is on leave. I nominated them because they set a high standard for employment and treatment of crew."

Seamen SOS
Help for seafarers.

Sea Sunday, July 12

Visit the Mission to Seafarers website for available Sea Sunday resources.

Template for the ICMA Online Directory

Click here to see the ICMA Online Directory template. (Please fill it out ONLY for agencies, not individual chaplains.) Send it to Rev. Hennie La Grange after filling it out. Click here for his contact information.

Membership

Click here to see the membership form for 2009 in PDF format. Use it to renew your membership now! Simply print it out and mail it in with your check.

Update your Directory listing

Click here for our database and directory information sheet. Please fill it out and mail it in to update your directory info, even if you are not a member.

NAMMA Conference 2007 Keynote Address

"God lives and loves on ships. I know this. I have learnt from faith and experience to expect this. I am neither shocked nor frightened by it. But I am ceaselessly in awe."
Click here to read more.

Grants Available for Communication Help

NAMMA has $20,000 to distribute to centers and chaplains to help pay for such things as cell phones, computers, and Internet access.

Seafarers 2010, Gulf Coast Regional Conference on Seafarer Welfare Issues, March 9 & 10, 2010, Houston, Texas

Click here to learn more about this two day conference for those in the Gulf Coast Region who are concerned with seafarer welfare.

2010, The International Year of the Seafarer

Click here to read Henry J. Holcomb's story about a father and daughter re-united at Christmas thanks to the efforts of the Seaman's Church Institute of Philadelphia-Camden. This is a good example of how professional writing can help publicize ministry.

Winter 2009-2010 Newsletter

Click here to read Waterlines.

Upcoming Events

Winter Board Meeting, January 19 and 20, New Orleans, LA
Houston School, Febraury 21 to March 5, Houston, TX
Shipping 2010 (CMA), March 22-24, Stamford, CT. Date for NAMMA dues to be paid if you want to vote at NAMMAC 2010, March 31
Executive Committee, ICMA, May 6 and 7, London, UK
AoS-USA Conference, May 11-14, Niagara Falls, ON
National Maritime Day, May 2010 (date and details to be announced)
NAMMA Board Meeting, August 8 and 9, Vancouver, WA (across the river from Portland, OR, the nearest airport)
NAMMAC 2010, August 9-12 (an extra day this year!), Vancouver, WA (Portland, OR airport)
AAPA 2010, September 19-23, Halifax, NS
ICMA - Consultive Forum, AGM, Executive Meeting, October 2010 (date and details to be announced)
World Maritime Day, October 2010, (date and details to be announced)