A sailor’s refuge

BY NEIL ZAWICKI

Fort Vancouver Seafarers Center supports wayward sailors, depends on business community to stay afloat

A massive logistics network supports and encourages maritime commerce at the Port of Vancouver, but one little building takes care of the sailors that come and go.

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The Fort Vancouver Seafarers Center is a facility rich in tradition, and remains relevant even in the modern world of shipping. Its purpose is to provide comfort and support to mariners during their stay in port. The center’s slogan reflects its philosophy:

"International trade and international friendship go hand in hand."

These sailors, at the Port of Vancouver from Japan aboard the cargo vessel Coral Leader, count on the Seafarers Center for telephone, transportation and respite from ship life.

The first seafarers center was formed in London in 1853. Today there are similar centers worldwide, and they are affiliated with the International Transport Workers’ Federation of London. The federation recently gave the Vancouver center the funds necessary to purchase a new van.

The all-volunteer staff of six at the 40-year-old center, located at the Port of Vancouver, relies on donations to perform their duties, which include providing transportation to visiting sailors who would like to or need to do some shopping, as well as provide a recreation center and library, a mini store, telephone services, a chapel and free clothing items.

In 2005, more than 1,700 sailors were served aboard their ships, more than 1,200 received rides to area shopping districts, and more than 2,000 visited the center. These sailors came from 437 ships.

To handle such volume, and to help generate the $125,000 annual operating cost, the center receives support from a respectable number of corporate partners, some of whom are directly connected to the import/export activity of the Port, including the Bank of Clark County, The Community Foundation, SSA Marine, Metro Metals, Thompson Metal Fabricators, TriStar Transload Inc., United Harvest LLC, Kinder Morgan Energy Partners and Marine Terminals Corp. These entities contributed more than $17,000 to the center in 2006. Also, private citizens like local investor Ray Hickey contribute to the center. Hickey last month donated $10,000. Still, making ends meet is an ongoing challenge.

"It’s always tight," said center volunteer Al Moreno of the financial needs of the center. "But our port business benefits the community and our job is to make the sailors feel welcome."

The Seafarers Center plans to host sailors from more than 400 ships each year.

As Moreno talks, two orange-vested sailors – in port aboard the cargo ship Coral Leader from Japan – walk into the center, still wearing their hard hats, and ask in thick Ukrainian accents to use the phone center.

"Do you have any beer?" one of them asks Moreno.

"Sorry, no beer," he says, "but there are cookies on the table."

Next, five Philippine sailors, also from the Coral Leader, descend upon the center, and Moreno shifts into host high gear. One of them picks up a guitar and begins to play as others browse the book shelves or look through the free clothing. They’re all leaving for San Diego in two hours, having off loaded 600 Subarus at the port that morning. The ship’s captain, an Indian gentleman who gave his name only as Bhuiyan, said the center is vital for the morale of his crew.

"There’s no alternative for this," he said, "In America, if you call a taxi, it could take two hours. My crew normally does not have time like that. And the rides from the seafarers center are free."

Appreciation by sailors for the center goes beyond words about convenience. Retiring ship captain Eduardo Almaquer recently gave the center a hand-built scale model of his ship, the Star Davanger. He gave the gift because he regards the Vancouver center as the best he’s visited in his 25 years at sea.

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