Introduction: ICMA held its 2026 Northern Europe Regional Meeting in Helsinki, Finland from 23-25 September 2026. This meeting gathered members and partners from across the region. The seminar focused on key trends and challenges in seafarers’ welfare of common interest to our members.
Meeting hosts and sponsors: Thank you to the Merimieskirkko (Finnish Seamen’s Mission) for hosting us.
Accommodation: Hotel Rantapuisto, Furuborginkatu 3, 00980 Helsinki, Finland.
Meeting room: Vuosaari Gatehouse 2nd floor, meeting room, Komentosilta 1, 00980 Helsinki https://gatehouse.fi/
Schedule:
- Summary article
- Wednesday 23:
- Session 1 (Gatehouse, 2nd floor)
- Welcome and Introduction
- Dr. Jason Zuidema, ICMA, General Secretary
- Sanna Rasi, Merimieskirkko / ICMA regional coordinator
- Hannu Suihkonen, Secretary-General, Finnish Seamen’s Church
- Speaker
- Sanna Sonninen, Director of Maritime, Traficom, “The Shadow Fleet, Geopolitics, and the Safety of Seafarers in the Baltic Sea Region”
- Welcome and Introduction
- Session 2
- Welcome and Introduction
- Jaakko Laasio, Director of Maritime Affairs, Liaison Manager, Finnish Seamen’s Church
- Speakers
- Petteri Salli, Maritime Safety Expert, Lieutenant Commander, The Finnish Border Guard (Rajavartiolaitos), “Protecting seafarers’ safety and peace in the Baltic Sea Region”
- Jessica Troberg, Human Resources Manager, Meriaura, “Safety of crew: Preparing for disruption and danger”
- Tour of Vuosaari Seafarers’ Centre – Finnish Seamen’s Church (Provianttikatu 4, 00980, Helsinki)
- Welcome and Introduction
- Session 1 (Gatehouse, 2nd floor)
- Thursday 24:
- Session 3 (Gatehouse, 2nd floor) – “Workshop-Discussion: Seafarers missions in times of conflict and distress”
- Moderator: Pastor Matthias Ristau (Deutsche Seemannsmission)
- Rev. JP Mokgethi-Heath, Malmö Seafarers’ Chaplaincy
- Session 4 (Gatehouse, 2nd floor) – “Workshop-Discussion: Seafarers missions in times of conflict and distress”
- Moderator: Pastor Matthias Ristau (Deutsche Seemannsmission)
- Rev. Frank Skofteland, Sjømannskirken – Norwegian Church Abroad
- Off-site excursion to central Helsinki
- Visit to Katajanokka – tour of Finnish Ice Breaker Polaris
- Session 5 – Seamen’s Pension Fund
- Speaker – Marina Paulaharju, CCO
- Session 6 – Finnish Seamen’s Service
- Speaker – Inka Kanerva, CEO
- Evening Prayer – Temppeliaukio Church
- Homily: Bishop Bo-Göran Åstrand, The Diocese of Borgå (Thank you to Bishop Teemu Laajasalo and Töölö Church/Parish for graciously offering us free use of the church for our prayer. Temppeliaukion kirkko, or the Rock Church, is a famous Lutheran church in Helsinki, Finland, renowned for being excavated directly into solid rock.)
- Session 3 (Gatehouse, 2nd floor) – “Workshop-Discussion: Seafarers missions in times of conflict and distress”
- Friday 25:
- Session 5 (Gatehouse, 2nd floor) –
- Dr. Jason Zuidema (ICMA) – “Deaths at Sea: Statistics and Support”
- Dr. Khanssa Lagdami (World Maritime University, Malmö, Sweden) – “Seafarers’ Abandonment: Scope, Root Causes, and Practical Response”
- Session 6 (Gatehouse, 2nd floor)
- Dr. Amit Sharma, TalTech
- The Rev’d Mark Nestlehutt, “Greater than the Sum of Our Parts”
- Session 5 (Gatehouse, 2nd floor) –
Thank you to our partners and sponsors: ITF Seafarers’ Trust, TK Foundation, Suomen Merimieskirkko, Finnlines (Gatehouse), Seamen’s Pension Fund, Bishop Teemu Laajasalo and the Töölö Church/Parish
For more information: gensec@icma.as