Seamen, it is well known, lead hard lives. They spend months at a time far from their homes and families toiling in indescribable conditions. Despite an increasingly technology-driven world, the traditional domain of maritime transport still plays a vital role in the global economy. This is especially true for an island state like Mauritius.

Yet all too often, the unsung heroes of the seas are neglected at their ports of call. After a decade of struggle, the director of Apostolat de la Mer, Jean Vacher, is about to fulfil his dream of building an International Seafarers’ Centre (ISC) worthy of the name. If all goes well, the ISC should open its doors at the end of October.

The Mer Rouge area, near the Freeport of Mauritius (FOM) Exhibition Center, is unattractive. Built on reclaimed land, it is still vulnerable to occasional flooding. It borders the slightly less than affluent Roche-Bois neighbourhood. Yet, if Jean Vacher has his way and he seems set to do just that, Mer Rouge will house an International Seafarers’ Centre of the highest standards. Mr Vacher, who knows the hardships of life on the high seas for having been a sailor himself, is relieved that so many years of planning are finally going to bear fruit. “98% of the world’s goods travel by sea. Sailors are important people who are often ignored. Here, we will be able to listen to them, understand them and help them if we can.”

<B>Wide choice of facilities</B>

The ISC will try to cater for most of the seafarers’ needs. It will include – hold your breath – a restaurant, bar, games room, bedrooms, swimming pool, prayer room, exhibition room, conference room, a state-of-the-art kitchen, gym, laundry, grocery shop, basketball court, cybercafé, medical centre and library. The rooms will be rented out for a small fee while the top floor will be occupied by the centre’s manager.

Its location is no coincidence either, Jean Vacher explains. “With the development of the port, the time to build is now. Being so close to the harbour, we will be able to offer a better service to the sailors. They can come by even if they only have a couple of hours to spare.”

The construction of this four-storey structure obviously has involved considerable costs. Fortunately, Jean Vacher was able to coordinate efforts on both the national and international fronts to secure the project. The Municipality of Port-Louis contributed the land while the International Seafarers’ Trust Trade Union, a UK-based organization, footed the major part of the Rs 35 million bill required for building. The Ministry of Environment has been charged with embellishing the site while the Trust Fund for Vulnerable Groups has offered logistic support. The work is far from over, though. “We still need furniture, computers, phones and crockery”, emphasizes Jean Vacher. Additional funds will be needed for the initial running of the centre.

Jean Vacher hopes that the ISC’s proximity to Roche-Bois will offer the area’s inhabitants the opportunity to get involved with a worthy cause. “We spent Rs1.6 million on equipping the kitchen. Once everything is up and running, we want to offer cooking lessons to the locals. We also want to train volunteers so that they understand exactly what we’re aiming at. It’s a Mauritian challenge.”