This morning in the port of Genoa, in Ponte Andrea Doria, inauguration of the new premises of the Stella Maris (Apostolate of the Mare), a Catholic organization that provides assistance and support to seafarers, granted on loan for use by Maritime Stations, the Company that manages passenger traffic at the airport port of the Ligurian capital. These are premises intended for the well-being and socialisation of seafarers in transit in the that have been made available by Maritime Stations and renovated by Stella Maris with the generous support of the trade union International Seafarers' Committee ITF, Welfare Committee of Genoa and of various realities of the world of Genoese shipping.

The new premises are equipped with a lounge, bar and services for a Total area of almost 100 square meters. Here the crews, in particular of ferries and cruise ships, they can find assistance and spend quiet moments, serenity and socialization, also receiving parcels and letters. A pilot project for correspondence, launched recently with some ships of MSC Cruises and Costa Cruises, involved in just a few months almost 5,000 seafarers, a number destined to increase significantly considering the many crews that arrive daily in the port of Genoa. In 2023 Stations In fact, the maritime network has hosted 340 cruise ship calls and Over 1,800 ferry calls, for a total of 2,168 Landings. A similar number of berths are planned for 2024.

Stella Maris has been operating in Genoa since 1932 thanks to the support of the of the Genoese curia, in particular of Cardinal Giuseppe Siri, and of private individuals such as Giacomo Costa. The association has been managing two seafarers' centres, in Piazza Di Negro in Genoa and at the VTE in Prà. The operational management of Stella Maris is curated by Don Franzi, assisted by an extraordinary group of 50 volunteers and numerous young aspiring officers of the Academy of the Merchant Navy who carry out volunteer activities at the association.

Today's ceremony was attended by the Archbishop of Genoa, Marco Tasca, the president of the Stella Maris Foundation, Giacomo Costa Ardissone, the president of Stazioni Marittime, Edoardo Monzani, and Deacon Don Massimo Franzi, assistant pastoral care of Stella Maris and diocesan contact person for the Apostolate of the Sea.