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.
- Via Raffaele Paolucci 17r/19r - 16129 Genoa - ITALY
