May 2026

Introduction

May has been another busy period for the Mts Ship Welfare Visitor Team. Our experiences this month have challenged us while also reminding us of the important, often silent service we render to seafarers.

We have continued to maintain a steady volume of ship visits, while also welcoming eager visitors to the Mts Centre, many of whom come in search of a space uniquely dedicated to seafarers.

Amidst our work, we have also been overjoyed to partner with new friends who have intentionally chosen to share our space at the Centre.

In addition, the Mts Ship Welfare Visitor Team revisited its visibility material and incorporated digital-friendly features that can now be accessed and captured electronically.

Ship Visits

Ship visits once again remained robust and active throughout May. Among the many visits undertaken was a ship visit on 18th May 2026 to the vessel CMA CGM Saigon, one of the first vessels to leave the Strait of Hormuz. The interaction and level of engagement experienced during this visit were truly special.

The visit gave the Ship Visitor Team immense reassurance that the work carried out through a simple ship visit is far more significant than merely meeting seafarers and sharing information with them. The sense of joy and relief reflected in the body language of the seafarers could not go unnoticed.

Furthermore, the satisfaction and fulfilment experienced by the Mts Ship Welfare Visitor Team in undertaking such an emotionally and mentally challenging task will remain a lasting memory and a continual source of inspiration. The visit also reiterated the importance of presence during times of crisis and calamity.

With the current global socio-political climate remaining volatile, we have also observed a significant number of vessels calling at the Port of Colombo for the first time. Every effort has been made to establish contact with the seafarers aboard these vessels.

The Mts Ship Visitor Team once again completed 157 ship visits during the month — no easy task considering the operational demands involved.

The Mts Centre – A Home Away from Home

As a result of the robust and systematic ship visits conducted during the month, their positive impact is reflected in the increased number of seafarers visiting the Mts Centre. While meeting the growing demand for transport assistance has been challenging, the team noted that on several days the shuttle covered over 125 km.

Seafarers from the following vessels visited the Mts Centre during the month. The * indicates repeat visits.

In this connection, the crew from the vessel Sea Tiger I made exceptional use of the facilities at the Mts Centre while their vessel was being attended to at dry dock. We sincerely hope that more seafarers will similarly make use of the Centre in the future, especially during extended stays while their vessels undergo routine maintenance and repairs at dry dock.

409 Seafarers visited the Mts Centre during the month, and 389 of them were able to use the facility of the Mts free transport shuttle. Crew from the vessels listed visited the Centre.

1. San Francisco Bridge (Panama – IMO No.9560364)
2. GSL Rossi (Liberia – IMO No.9565338)
3. Msc Flavia (Panama – IMO No.9467433)
4. Raffles Progress (Panama – IMO No.9381316)
5. Cautin (Liberia – IMO No.9687538)
6. Msc Ellen (Liberia – IMO No.9166780)
7. Sea Tiger I (Marshall Islands – IMO No.9358955) *************
8. Salahuddin (Liberia – IMO No.9708796)
9. Maersk Havana (Singapore – IMO No.9784336) *
10. Zhuo Yue Yuan Yang (China – IMO No.1121667)
11. Msc Sasha (Portugal – IMO No.9720500)
12. Maersk Seoul (Singapore – IMO No.9306550) *
13. Xin Shanghai (Hong Kong – IMO No.9307231)
14. COSCO Shipping Argentina (Hong Kong – IMO No.9945849)
15. Msc Diego (Panama – IMO No.9202649) *
16. Msc Anahita (Liberia – IMO No.9302085)
17. Maersk Hidalgo (Singapore – IMO No.9784283)
18. DP World Kochi (Panama – IMO No.9495040)
19. OOCL Nagoya (Hong Kong – IMO No.9445538)
20. Msc Keta II (Liberia – IMO No.9225782)
21. CMA CGM Davao (Malta – IMO No.9347293)
22. Kotka (Liberia – IMO No.9085534)
23. Msc Amsterdam (Panama – IMO No.9606338)
24. Maersk Aras (Panama – IMO No.9624275)
25. Maersk Salalah (Hong Kong – IMO No.9352016) ***
26. Msc Clorinda (Panama – IMO No.9484429)
27. CMA CGM Fuzhou (Malta – IMO No.9596313)
28. Cang Hai (Liberia – IMO No.9678630)
29. CMA CGM Cebu (Malta – IMO No.9362736) *
30. Shanghai Express (Liberia – IMO No.9501368)
31. Msc Sijing (Liberia – IMO No.9967017)
32. Msc Manasa F (Liberia – IMO No.9238882)
33. ONE Maxim (Japan – IMO No.9424936)
34. Maersk Seoul (Singapore – IMO No.9306550)
35. APL Oregon (Malta – IMO No.9532783)
36. Queen of the Netherlands (Cyprus – IMO No.9164031) *
37. Hawks Majesty (Panama – IMO No.9311268)
38. Msc Joanna (Panama – IMO No.9304435)
39. Northern Guard (Liberia – IMO No.9348455)
40. Msc Annabella (Liberia – IMO No.9963592)
41. Antwerpen Express (German – IMO No.9612997)
42. CMA CGM Butterfly (Bahamas – IMO No.9365790)
43. Maersk Tanjong (Hong Kong – IMO No.9332511) **
44. Northern Practice (Liberia – IMO No.9450301)
45. Filippo Brunelleschi (Luxembourg – IMO No.9262778)
46. CMA CGM Nile (Malta – IMO No.9732589)
47. ONE Recommendation (Singapore – IMO No.9952713)
48. Msc Elaine (Panama – IMO No.9393321)
49. DP World Jebel Ali (Liberia – IMO No.9972799)
50. Msc Tokyo (Liberia – IMO No.9318046) *
51. Msc Chaewon (Liberia – IMO No.9966972)
52. CMA CGM Amerigo Vespucci (Malta – IMO No.9454395)
53. Msc Noa (Liberia – Imo No.9398228)
54. Msc Catania (Liberia – IMO No.9964247) *
55. Msc Vidhi (Liberia – IMO No.9238739)
56. CNC Tiger (Malta – IMO No.9784659) *

The Breakdown

The figures for the month continue to reflect extremely positive and encouraging progress. Once again, the commitment of the Mts Ship Welfare Visitor Team and the staff of the Mts Centre must be acknowledged and appreciated. It is their selfless dedication and unwavering commitment to their work that is reflected in the numbers recorded at the end of each month.

The work completed during the month has not been without its challenges. Despite these obstacles, much has been achieved through perseverance, teamwork, and continued commitment to serving seafarers.

Ship visits 157

Seafarers at the Centre 409

Pickup and drop off 389

Cumulative Data: October 2022 – April 2026

The cumulative data for the month reveals that within the first five months of 2026 alone, over 750 ship visits have been completed, 1690 seafarers have visited the Mts Centre, and 1643 have been transported by the Mts free transport shuttle service.

While transport assistance may seem like a small detail within the broader scope of our work, it remains an important and meaningful service to seafarers and is certainly worth highlighting to our friends at the Baltic Exchange.

A careful analysis of the data will continue to highlight the silent yet valuable service carried out within the confines of this very special space dedicated uniquely to seafarers.