International maritime network Stella Maris has teamed up with tech start-up FrontM to develop a new crew collaboration and wellbeing platform and super-app designed to give seafarers and fishers across the world quick access to Stella Maris's global chaplaincy directory, media content and faith resources.
Stella Maris, formerly known as Apostleship of the Sea, is a ship-visiting network with more than 1,000 chaplains and volunteers in 330 ports across 60 countries. Its team makes 70,000 ship visits in a normal year to vessels of all flags and nationalities to look after the wellbeing and welfare of seafarers and fishers - regardless of their race, creed or faith.
Now that Stella Maris is partnering with FrontM and joining the onship digital marketplace platform of free welfare services, seafarers and fishers will be able to quickly access its chaplains and devotional materials. They will also be able to use the app’s built-in voice, instant messaging, and video conferencing tools, as well as a growing suite of welfare and virtual assistant services.
Martin Foley, Stella Maris CEO, said, “Faith is important to many seafarers and fishers who rarely get the chance to attend religious services. The prayer resources on the app supplements the Stella Maris magazine, prayer books and rosaries that our chaplains and ship visitors take on board to crews. onship ensures seafarers and fishers always have access to the services they need to help sustain their spiritual needs and to remain healthy, happy and connected, regardless of location.”
onship is a free seafarer communications and welfare super-app designed to bring all seafarers, maritime organizations and welfare charities closer together under one digital roof. The app uses up to 30% less data than some other apps, enabling seafarers to send and receive more messages and calls.
Kiran Venkatesh, FrontM CEO, described the collaboration as “a breakthrough in the way devotional support and content is currently consumed and distributed to seafarers and the global maritime community.
“At FrontM we believe faith and communications are two basic human rights; technology plays a vital role in ensuring the under-connected can gain access to the welfare, communications, and faith support services they need, when they need them the most. The partnership with Stella Maris will help to expand onship’s welfare focus whilst ensuring our seafaring community will always have access to faith services and a friend in port via the Stella Maris network,” he said.