In a recent interview, our Regional Director for the Oceania and Pacific region, Revd. Lance Lukin, shares insights into the region’s unique challenges and successes.
In the Oceania and Pacific region, listen out for the Māori proverb: He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata. Or in English: What is the most important thing in the world? It is people, it is people, it is people.
This guiding principle underpins the Mission’s work here – no small feat in an area covering 13 diverse ports across New Zealand, Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Tahiti.
“Tahiti can be as cosmopolitan as Paris, but then you have the Solomon Islands, which is facing significant social challenges,” explains Regional Director, Lance Lukin. “I’ve also got a chaplain in Vanuatu who doesn’t have power or internet for about six to nine months of the year.”
The region’s vessels are as diverse as its landscapes, ranging from cargo ships and luxury liners in New Zealand to smaller inter-island ships and fishing boats across the Pacific. But despite the variety, the seafarers’ challenges remain the same: isolation, loneliness, and concerns about family and job security.
The Common Thread
And this is where the Mission steps in. We are a friendly face, a listening ear, and a consistent source of support and encouragement. “We board with no agenda other than to listen to the seafarers, and that makes us unique,” continues Lance.
This sounds simple enough. But, with increased automation, smaller crews, quicker turnaround times and limited shore leave, snatching even 10 minutes with a seafarer is a challenge.
The Challenge of Listening
It’s a challenge the team are rising to. Great strides have been made to enforce both the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) and the International Labour Organisation’s Work in Fishing Convention ILO 188 (ILO 188), which promote the welfare and protect the rights of seafarers. But enforcing them is complicated.
New Zealand has ratified the MLC but not ILO 188, and many Pacific islands lack the infrastructure to implement either. As a result, the Mission advocates globally while also seeking local solutions.
The Fishing Industry: A Major Concern
The fishing industry is an area of particular concern. Last year, the team used new technology to monitor a Taiwanese ship that left Busan in South Korea. The results showed that the vessel didn’t return to port for 572 days. Whether the crew ever disembarked is unknown raising concerns about welfare and exploitation.
“We know that’s not a good environment for individuals to work in, and there’s a lot of human trafficking that occurs within fishing fleets,” says Lance.
Growing Pressure on Seafarers
As the industry evolves, other worrying trends are emerging. One seafarer reached out after his captain denied him medical care for a suspected broken arm. The Mission intervened, ensuring treatment, but in solving one problem the seafarer faced another. “His fear is, ‘Because I’ve caused this fuss, will I still have a job when my contract ends?’” Lance explains.
Exploitation wears many disguises and the Mission is currently advocating for another seafarer who has been accused of drug trafficking. The situation is far from straightforward: “The drug cartels came to him and said, ‘You are to take these drugs or we will kill your family’. What choice did he have?” reports Lance.
Investing in People
Our team is determined to see humanity in every situation and have been investing in brilliant people who know how to navigate the challenging environment. During the pandemic, they campaigned tirelessly for seafarers to be recognised as key workers and their efforts paid off.
“It’s been four or five years of hard slog, but we’ve secured government funding for frontline staff in New Zealand,” Lance says. “In the Pacific, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands we have chaplains paid by the province, and we’ve just secured some funding for Tahiti.”
These aren’t just bodies on the ground or good-hearted volunteers, they are highly skilled individuals ready to intervene in matters of life or death. “Sometimes we only have 10 minutes with a seafarer, and in that time, we have to start the conversation, ask the right questions, and offer support,” reports Lance.
It’s an investment worth making. No matter what the future holds for the industry, the Mission’s focus will remain the same: it is people, it is people, it is people.
