The Seamen's Church Institute

What The Seamen's Church Institute does

The Seamen's Church Institute (SCI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1834 and headquartered in New York City, operating as North America's largest and most comprehensive seafarer and mariner service agency. The organization delivers three integrated mission areas: pastoral care (Ministry on the River along inland waterways and the International Seafarers' Center at Port Newark), maritime education (Center for Maritime Education, with high-fidelity towboat simulators at campuses in Houston, TX and Paducah, KY), and legal/policy advocacy (Center for Mariner Advocacy, providing seafarer rights representation at IMO and ILO forums). CME's technology stack includes wheelhouse simulators replicating captain/pilot work environments with traditional steering levers and Z-drive azimuth thruster systems, a geographic database library covering the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and Western Rivers, an in-house Learning Management System for Subchapter M compliance tracking, and an ISO 9001:2015-certified quality management system — the first such certification issued to a U.S. maritime training center.

Revenue derives from four streams: individual donations (online, recurring, planned giving, appreciated securities), corporate sponsorships (multi-tiered, anchored by flagship fundraising events such as the Silver Bell Awards Dinner which raised over $825,000 in 2026), fee-for-service training through CME (serving over 1,600 mariners annually across both campuses), and episodic grants (e.g., $45,000 from the United Thank Offering in 2025). Go-to-market is hybrid: a community-led chaplaincy network provides pastoral care and crisis response; sales-led CME delivers fee-for-service training to maritime operators including Ingram Barge Company, Canal Barge Company, and Kirby Corporation; and event-driven fundraising generates mission awareness and donor capital. Customer segments include U.S. inland mariners (the primary persona), international seafarers at the Port of New York and New Jersey, maritime transportation companies (inland, deep-sea, intra-coastal), and maritime academy cadets.

Name

The Seamen's Church Institute

Legal name

The Seamen's Church Institute

Website

https://seamenschurch.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1834

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Seamen's Church Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1834 that delivers pastoral care, ISO 9001-certified maritime simulator training, and legal advocacy for U.S. inland mariners and international seafarers at major U.S. ports.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maritime Welfare Services

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Support Activities for Water Transportation (4883)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Navigation, Seamanship & Offshore Operations (EDAOANAE)

Keywords

• Maritime welfare services
• Mariner pastoral care
• Maritime simulation training
• Seafarer advocacy services
• Mariner wellness programs

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations and Gifts: Individual donors contribute through online giving, checks, commemorative gifts (birthdays, anniversaries, memorials), matching gifts, recurring gifts, and gifts of appreciated securities. SCI is a qualified 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization (EIN: 13-5562356).
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate partners support SCI through sponsorships, including Sustaining Sponsors, Supporting Sponsors, and In-Kind Sponsors. The 2026 Silver Bell Awards Dinner raised over $825,000.
3. Training and Education Services: CME generates revenue through fee-for-service maritime training including simulator training, e-learning courses, feasibility studies, and USCG license assessments. CME serves over 1,600 mariners annually across its Houston and Paducah campuses.
4. Grants: SCI receives grant funding from organizations such as the Episcopal Church's United Thank Offering ($45,000 grant for the I Sea You chaplain training initiative).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Seamen's Church Institute (SCI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1834 that provides pastoral care, maritime education, and legal advocacy services for U.S. inland mariners and international seafarers. Through its Center for Maritime Education (CME), it delivers fee-for-service simulator training, e-learning, USCG license assessments, and feasibility studies at campuses in Houston, TX and Paducah, KY. Through its Ministry on the River chaplains, Port of New York & New Jersey International Seafarers' Center, and Christmas at Sea program it delivers direct welfare services to mariners, while the Center for Mariner Advocacy provides legal support and policy advocacy at IMO and ILO forums.

Product overview

The Seamen's Church Institute offers a comprehensive portfolio of programs and services for mariners and seafarers, organized around three core mission areas: pastoral care, education and training, and advocacy. The flagship education product is the Center for Maritime Education (CME), which provides simulator-based training, e-learning, assessments, and feasibility studies for inland river, deep-sea, and intra-coastal mariners through facilities in Houston, TX and Paducah, KY. The advocacy arm is the Center for Mariner Advocacy, providing legal support and policy advocacy. Pastoral care services include Ministry on the River, the International Seafarers' Center at Port Newark, and the Christmas at Sea gift program. SCI also offers Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) and publishes The Masthead newsletter and The Lookout magazine.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Center for Maritime Education (CME): State-of-the-art simulators and e-learning modules for critical and comprehensive mariner training, assessments, feasibility studies, and research.
• Center for Mariner Advocacy
• Ministry on the River
• Christmas at Sea (CAS)

Products and services

• Ministry on the River Pastoral care, crisis response, new hire orientation visits, and ongoing chaplain services for domestic mariners and international seafarers working along U.S. inland waterways. Provided free of charge through SCI's network of river chaplains including the Upper Mississippi and Ohio River Region.
• Port of New York & New Jersey International Seafarers' Center Welfare services for international seafarers calling at Port Newark and Elizabeth, NJ, including pastoral care, advocacy under the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC, 2006), Christmas at Sea gift distribution, and a dedicated three-driver transportation team operating daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Center for Maritime Education (CME)

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,600 mariners trained annually across CME Houston and CME Paducah campuses
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• International Christian Maritime Association (ICMA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1969SCI and NAMMA helped establish ICMA in 1969. ICMA is a global association of 27 seafarer welfare organizations operating in more than 700 ports worldwide. Through ICMA, SCI lends its collective voice to IMO and ILO regulatory forums and ensures policy discussions reflect realities faced by seafarers. SCI's CMA Director Phil Schifflin participates in ICMA governance; ICMA's General Secretary is Dr. Jason Zuidema.
• U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC)coreTechnology or IntegrationSCI's Center for Maritime Education (CME) partnered with the U.S. Army ERDC in Vicksburg, MS, under a memorandum of agreement through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The partnership integrates CME's high-fidelity towboat simulators with ERDC's environmental modeling capabilities (bathymetry, current patterns, environmental data) to improve maritime simulation accuracy, expand training access, and support safer vessel operations and navigation infrastructure planning.
• SUNY Maritime CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCI maintains a strong ongoing partnership with SUNY Maritime College through active chaplain participation in the annual Summer Sea Term (SST) training voyage. SCI chaplains (Geoff Davis, Bill Allport, Anne Reed, Jay Geisler) provide continuous pastoral coverage across the full voyage, rotating during different legs of the itinerary. SCI also participates in the Summer Sea Term Expo to establish early connections with cadets and gather feedback on chaplaincy needs.
• North American Maritime Ministry Association (NAMMA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCI helped found NAMMA in the 1930s and collaborates on maritime ministry training programs. SCI's Phil Schifflin, Esq. (CMA Director) leads NAMMA's annual Houston Maritime Ministry Course, teaching chaplains about the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC, 2006). NAMMA and ICMA training programs equip chaplains to serve as informed advocates for seafarers' rights.
• Yale University School of MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCI collaborated with Yale University School of Medicine on a landmark U.S. Inland Mariner Wellness Assessment that reviewed academic literature and included interviews with inland marine industry executives. Dr. Martin Slade of Yale participated in the IMX2026 mariner wellness panel. The study identified key opportunities to improve mariner well-being and workforce sustainability, providing a roadmap for industry-wide wellness initiatives.
• American Waterways Operators (AWO)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCI's Center for Mariner Advocacy Director Phil Schifflin moderated a panel at the AWO Summer Safety Meeting in Chicago in August 2025, focusing on the Mariner Wellness Steering Committee's mental health initiatives including screening tools, HR best practices, licensure issues, and return-to-work protocols.
• Gulf Intracoastal Canal Association (GICA)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhil Schifflin (CMA Director) presented at the GICA seminar in New Orleans in August 2025, sharing results of the joint Yale/SCI mariner wellness study and highlighting cultural barriers to wellness initiatives among inland mariners.
• Ingram Barge CompanysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerKelly Clapp of Ingram Barge Company participated in SCI's mariner wellness panel at IMX2026 and serves on the AWO Mariner Wellness Steering Committee, contributing insights on mental health and Employee Assistance Programs for mariners.
• American P&I ClubsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCI collaborated with the American P&I Club to publish 'Addressing and Managing Seafarer Mental Health Challenges,' an educational resource for the maritime industry addressing seafarer mental health in isolated and risky environments.
• HealthWorks MedicalsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Kyle Turnbo of HealthWorks Medical participates in the AWO Mariner Wellness Steering Committee and presented at the AWO Safety Meeting, focusing on mental health screening tools and return-to-work best practices for mariners.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Apostleship of the Sea (Stella Maris): Global Catholic seafarer welfare organization providing port chaplaincy, ship visits, and seafarer advocacy across 300+ ports. Directly comparable to SCI's International Seafarers' Center and Ministry on the River programs as a mission-aligned peer in seafarer welfare services.
• The Mission to Seafarers: Anglican international seafarer welfare charity with port chaplaincy and seafarer support services in 200+ ports. Comparable to SCI's pastoral care mission and ICMA/NAMMA network participation; both organizations advocate at IMO and ILO forums on seafarer rights.
• Maritime Institute of Technology and Graduate Studies (MITAGS): Non-profit maritime training institute affiliated with the Seafarers International Union providing simulator-based training for deck and engine officers. Closest U.S. direct competitor to SCI's CME in fee-for-service maritime simulation training, assessment, and certification services.
• Pacific Maritime Institute: U.S. maritime training provider offering STCW-compliant courses, simulator training, and assessment services. Comparable to CME as a fee-for-service maritime training peer, though focused more on deep-sea/STCW curriculum than SCI's towboat/inland specialization.

Broad incumbents

• Kongsberg Maritime: Global leader in maritime simulation technology and integrated vessel solutions, including K-Sim simulators used in maritime training worldwide. Represents the dominant technology incumbent competing with CME's proprietary towboat simulator platform across maritime training institutions.
• FORCE Technology: Danish maritime technology and training services provider operating ship and offshore simulators. Broad incumbent peer to CME in maritime simulation training with global delivery capabilities, particularly in offshore and offshore wind sectors.

Emerging players

• SUNY Maritime College: U.S. maritime academy in the State University of New York system, providing maritime education and USCG license pathway training. Peer to SCI/CME on the educational mission side; partner via SCI chaplain participation in Summer Sea Term training voyages.
• Texas A&M Maritime Academy: U.S. maritime academy at Texas A&M Galveston providing maritime officer education and training. Geographic peer to CME Houston's deep-sea and intracoastal mariner training market; comparable mission of producing licensed merchant mariners.
• California State University Maritime Academy (Cal Maritime): West Coast U.S. maritime academy providing maritime education and USCG license training. Comparable to CME in producing credentialed mariners, though focused on academic degree pathways rather than CME's compliance training specialization.

Regional players

• Seafarers International Union (SIU): U.S. maritime labor union representing seafarers with welfare programs including the Seafarers' Health and Benefits Plan. Comparable to SCI's Center for Mariner Advocacy in seafarer rights and welfare advocacy mission, though union-based rather than non-denominational.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks2 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/seamenschurch
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-seamen%27s-church-institute
• Instagraminstagram.com/seamenschurch/?hl=en
• Xx.com/seamenschurch

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Seamen's Church Institute