The Apostleship of the Sea is the organisation concerned with the specific care of the people of the sea; it seeks to support the work of the faithful who are called to witness to their Chritian life in this sphere.

Ports have always been (and are still) very important MEETINGPLACES.

Therefore the importance of SEAFARERS’CENTRES.

They are places where seamen can refer to port-chaplains for many things

and where they find, more or less,

“a home” far from their family.

Stretching over an enormous area to the north of the city is Antwerp one of the largest ports in the world.

On the right side of the Scheldt, it covers an area of 7.657 ha. with 125 kms. of quays, 300 kms. of roads and 900 kms. of railways.

On the left bank, there is a total new area of 6.398 ha. Yearly, 15 to 16.000 ships come in (which means +/- 300.000 seamen) with a transshipment of goods of 140 million tons a year.

This signifies what 66.000 people do to earn a living in the port zone.