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| Photo from ISWAN |
The Duckdalben International Seamen's Club was given the Judges' Special Award during the International Seafarers' Welfare Awards 2016 by the International Seafarers' Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN)
The ceremony held in Manila,
Philippines last June 24, 2016 forms part of ISWAN's celebrations last Jine in the
Philippines for the IMO Day of the Seafarer. The awards were presented
by IMO Secretary General Mr Kitack Lim to seven recipients who have
provided exceptional services for the welfare and wellbeing of
seafarers.
“If you want to run a successful centre you must be reliable. Seafarers
will be happy because they know we will be here 364 days a year. It is
better to have shorter opening times and be open every day rather than
closed one day and leaving the impression in the minds of some seafarers
that the centre is never open.” Jan Oltmanns, Director of Duckdalben, said in an interview.“You must treat seafarers like friends. Seafarers are very reliable people. Trust the
people and they will be respectful.”
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| Maike Puchert and Jan Oltmanns of Duckdalben |
With average about 104 guests a day, 37,000 a year in total, Duckdalben is situated in a thriving port environment
(alongside Rotterdam and Antwerpen, Hamburg is in top 3 of the busiest
ports in Europe and the 15th largest worldwide). Jan informed me that they have an average of 18,000 filpino seafarers visitors a year. I had the chance to visit Duckdalben in August 2011 during the International Christian Maritime Association (ICMA) conference.
Facilities include Club room
with beer, coffee bar, snackbar, shop, money changing and postal
service, international money transfer, multi-denominational "Room of
Silence", large room for international and Christian holidays, karaoke
shows and disco; can be divided into rooms for billiards, darts, table
tennis and table football. Library with free books and newspapers,
satellite TV, karaoke, garden terrace, bbq, small sports field,
telephone, excursions and sightseeing tours on request.
During their stay in Manila, I invited Jan and Maike to participate in my weekly paralegal lecture on legal
matters on seafarers' rights Luneta Seafarers Welfare Foundation
(LUSWELF) organized by our lawfirm Sapalo Velez
Bundang Bulilan (SVBB) law offices,
The other winners are:
• Shipping Company of the Year: Anglo-Eastern Ship Management and MF Shipping Group
• Port of the Year: Bremerhaven
• Seafarers' Centre of the Year: Stella Maris, Barcelona
• Dr Dierk Lindemann Welfare Personality of the Year Award (organisation): Associated Marine Officers' and Seamen's Union of the Philippines (AMOSUP)
• Dr Dierk Lindemann Welfare Personality of the Year Award (individual): Reverend Stephen Miller
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