Sjømannskirken

What Sjømannskirken does

Sjømannskirken (Norwegian Seamen's Church / Norsk kirke i utlandet) is an independent Norwegian nonprofit organization founded in 1865 in Leith, Scotland by Johan Cordt Harmens Storjohann. Headquartered in Bergen with ~35 administrative staff and a total headcount of approximately 174, the organization operates 29 church locations across all continents plus the Norwegian continental shelf, supported by 11 regional councils within Norway. Its core product is chaplaincy and church services — including worship, weddings, baptisms, confirmations, and funerals — delivered to Norwegians abroad (long-term expatriates, retirees, students, tourists, and seafarers), supplemented by a 24/7 centralized crisis preparedness and emergency response service for Norwegians in distress overseas. Supplementary offerings include the HJEM magazine (NOK 150/year digital, NOK 400/year postal), the free Nødnummer mobile emergency contact app, the annual Sommerlotteri fundraiser (NOK 25/ticket) underwritten by travel-sector sponsors, an online branded merchandise store, and youth programs ('Ung i Sjømannskirken'). Technology infrastructure is minimal: the organization runs a website tracked via Google Analytics and Meta Pixel, accepts donations and ticket purchases through Vipps, and distributes content via email newsletter, Facebook, Instagram, and the quarterly HJEM magazine. Revenue is generated through a diversified mix of recurring membership fees, tax-deductible donations, transaction-based lottery and wedding ceremony fees, and prize-in-kind sponsorships from travel industry partners; specific financials are not publicly disclosed.

Name

Sjømannskirken

Legal name

Sjømannskirken

Website

https://sjomannskirken.no

Company type

Private

Founded year

1865

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Sjømannskirken is a Norwegian nonprofit operating 29 churches worldwide to provide chaplaincy, sacramental, crisis response, and community services for Norwegian expatriates, tourists, students, and seafarers abroad, funded via membership fees, donations, and fundraising activities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious and Community Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (813110)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAJAA

Local Congregations & Worship Communities (Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Religious & Faith-Based Organizations

SECONDARYBPAGAJAG

Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Religious & Faith-Based Organizations

SECONDARYBPAGAJAL

Places of Worship & Religious Facilities Operations (Cemeteries, Retreat Centers, Pilgrimage Sites)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Religious & Faith-Based Organizations

Keywords

• Religious chaplaincy services
• Expatriate community support
• Crisis response services
• Nonprofit membership organization
• Wedding ceremonies abroad

Headquarters

HQ city

Bergen, Hordaland

HQ country

Norway

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: Annual membership fees provide digital magazine HJEM, member newsletters, SMS and email updates, information about trips and local events, opportunity to volunteer, voting rights in regional elections
2. Donations and gifts: One-time or recurring donations from supporters, tax-deductible in Norway
3. Summer lottery: Annual summer lottery with tickets at 25 kr each, prizes include travel vouchers, hotel stays, and experiences. Supported by sponsors including Sjømannsforbundet and Hurtigruten
4. Wedding ceremonies: 650 EURO fee for wedding ceremonies at Tenerife location

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Sjømannskirken is a Norwegian voluntary nonprofit organization (Norsk kirke i utlandet) that provides chaplaincy, church services, and community support for Norwegians abroad. It operates 29 churches across all continents and the Norwegian continental shelf, offering worship services, sacraments (baptisms, weddings, funerals, confirmations), crisis response, youth programs, and cultural events, funded through membership fees, donations, and fundraising activities.

Product overview

Sjømannskirken (The Norwegian Seamen's Church) is a voluntary and independent organization providing church and chaplaincy services for Norwegians abroad. The core offering consists of 29 church locations worldwide offering worship services, sacraments (baptisms, weddings, funerals), and pastoral care. This is supplemented by the Nødnummer App providing emergency contacts for travelers, digital and physical membership with the HJEM magazine, the annual Sommerlotteri fundraising lottery, youth activities programs, and crisis preparedness services. The organization operates under the mandate of 'Norsk kirke i utlandet' (Norwegian Church Abroad) and serves Norwegian expatriates, tourists, students, and seafarers across all continents.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Magasinet Hjem: The organization's magazine distributed to members featuring stories from Norwegian communities abroad
• Nødnummer-appen

Products and services

• Sjømannskirken Church Services Chaplaincy and church services for Norwegians abroad through 29 church locations worldwide, providing worship services, sacraments (baptisms, confirmations, weddings, funerals), and pastoral care for people on all continents and the Norwegian continental shelf.
• Nødnummer App (Emergency Number App) Free mobile app providing emergency contact information and crisis support for Norwegians traveling or living abroad, including hospital visits, police liaison, and 24/7 emergency phone line.
• Wedding Services (Vigsel) Wedding ceremonies conducted under Norwegian law with apostille, available at various Sjømannskirken locations abroad, including a 650 EUR fee at Tenerife.
• Confirmation Services Confirmation preparation and ceremonies with online instruction and traveling priests, available for Norwegian youth abroad.
• Crisis Preparedness Services (Beredskap) 24/7 emergency response services for Norwegians abroad, including hospital visits, crisis support, and coordination with authorities, available through a central emergency phone line.
• Youth Activities (Ung i Sjømannskirken) Youth programs including Upstairs café for grades 8-10, MiLK leadership courses, and Thursday family activities for Norwegian youth abroad.
• Online Store (Nettbutikk) E-commerce store selling Sjømannskirken branded merchandise including mugs, aprons, and calendars.
• Sjømannskirkens Sommerlotteri (Summer Lottery) Annual fundraising lottery with prizes including Hurtigruten travel vouchers, hotel stays, and travel experiences, supported by sponsors including Sjømannsforbundet and Hurtigruten.

Quantifiable outcome

• ~200,000 visitors over 5 years at Torrevieja location alone
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Svenska kyrkan i utlandet (SKUT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwedish church abroad that Sjømannskirken collaborated with at Tenerife location, sharing church facilities from 2007-2016. Cooperation on services, events and facility management. The partnership ended when Sjømannskirken established its own facility in 2017.
• HurtigrutenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMain sponsor of Sjømannskirken's summer lottery 2026, providing main prize of 20,000 kr travel voucher. Major sponsor along with Sjømannsforbundet.
• SjømannsforbundetminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNorwegian seafarers union, main sponsor of Sjømannskirken's summer lottery 2026 along with Hurtigruten.
• Color LineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides travel gift certificates as prizes in Sjømannskirken's summer lottery.
• StrawberryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHotel chain providing gift certificates for overnight stays as prizes in lottery.
• TravelmateminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTravel agency providing 5,000 kr travel gift card as lottery prize.
• Blå KorsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorwegian temperance organization, partner in Familieveiviseren project with sjømannskirker on Costa Blanca, working on social issues involving children and youth.
• Fred. OlsenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFerry company serving routes to La Gomera, mentioned in travel tips from Tenerife church.
• VingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTour operator that had close cooperation with Sjømannskirken on Tenerife, with staff responsible for police and hospital liaison.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Stella Polaris: Norwegian organization serving Norwegian expatriates abroad with social and cultural activities — overlaps with Sjømannskirken's community-building function but operates in a more secular, social-club format rather than faith-based model.

Broad incumbents

• Den norske kirke (Church of Norway): Norway's national Lutheran church — the broader incumbent of which Sjømannskirken is a specialized extension. Provides the same sacramental and pastoral services domestically; Sjømannskirken handles the international/Norwegian-diaspora gap. Comparable in theology, governance tradition, and cultural authority.
• Mission to Seafarers: Global Anglican charity serving merchant seafarers in 200+ ports worldwide with chaplaincy, welfare, and crisis support. Comparable to Sjømannskirken's maritime origins and crisis preparedness capability, though broader in religious affiliation and not country-specific.

Direct peers

• Danske Sømandskirker: Danish Seamen's Churches abroad — operates Danish churches in global ports and tourist destinations serving Danish expatriates and travelers. Closest analog to Sjømannskirken's charter, scope, and beneficiary base across Nordic expatriates worldwide.
• Deutsche Seemannsmission: German Seamen's Mission — operates German church and welfare services for German seafarers and travelers in international ports. Provides chaplaincy and community support comparable to Sjømannskirken's maritime heritage and crisis-response mission.
• Svenska kyrkan i utlandet (SKUT): Swedish Church Abroad — direct Nordic equivalent serving Swedish expatriates, students, and tourists globally with chaplaincy and church services. Previously partnered with Sjømannskirken in Tenerife (2007-2016), reflecting nearly identical mission, structure, and operational model.
• Suomen Merimieskirkko: Finnish Seamen's Church — operates Finnish chaplaincy services and church locations abroad serving Finnish expatriates, students, seafarers, and tourists. Mirrors Sjømannskirken's operational scope, Nordic expatriate focus, and sacramental service offerings.

Others

• Den norske Sjømannsforening: Norwegian Seafarers' Union — actually a current partner/sponsor of Sjømannskirken's summer lottery, representing Norwegian maritime workers' interests. Adjacent ecosystem participant serving overlapping seafarer demographics without direct service competition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/sjomannskirken
• Instagraminstagram.com/sjomannskirken
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sjomannskirken

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Sjømannskirken