by Naran-Ochir Khulan
Nestled in downtown Le Havre, the Seamen’s Club of Le Havre welcomes seafarers from around the world. The warmth of old friends replaces the chill of the sea, bridging language and culture, kindling a home far from home.
Image Credit: Hervé Tainturier
No man is an island, entire of itself. Nowhere is this truer than at sea, where trust, cooperation and solidarity is offered without hesitation. Maritime solidarity calls for seafarers, states and international actors to share legal and moral obligations to protect human life, secure trade routes and safeguard marine environments. This notion has deep historical roots, as far back as in the Book of Jonah, where sailors cooperate to calm the seas and protect their crew despite differences in faith. Maritime solidarity ensures that seafarers’ safety is an international responsibility and operates on different levels to support seafarers and other stakeholders involved. In Le Havre, one of Europe’s busiest maritime crossroads, this spirit of solidarity is carried from the docks to the Seamen’s Club by a community of hands and hearts ensuring that seafarers are not faced with the loneliness of a foreign port.
The atmosphere at the club is shaped by whoever is managing the team on a given day. When Camel Brik is working, the whole room pulses with Daft Punk’s rhythms on the TV. Christophe Thoraval loves order and precision; offering clear guidance and a serene environment for the seafarers. Bruno Machet greets seafarers in their native languages; and perhaps the visitors’ favourite, Didier. A thrives on joking with sailors, sparking conversations and promising easy companionship. These daily shifts make each visiting experience unique — yet the underlying warmth and accommodation remains constant, making every seafarer feel at home, no matter the day.
The Seamen’s Club plays a practical role that extends beyond its walls. Each year, thousands of ships, carrying millions of tonnes of goods, call at Le Havre. Every ship consists of a crew of individuals who spend months at sea, working long hours under strict regulations, far from their families. Their objective is to ensure the well-being of seafarers by providing them with free shuttle service between the ship and the club, practical information and assistance such as free bike rentals; along with a bar and a shop that offers drinks, snacks and other necessities. Within the context of these services, the club receives up to ten thousand seafarers annually, hailing primarily from South East Asia and Eastern Europe. The club’s impact is part of a wider system of maritime solidarity by supporting individual seafarers: perhaps less visible, but no less essential. It reminds us that maritime activity is not sustained by machinery alone, but by the humanity of those who operate them.
The mutual strength and solidity of men at sea takes root ashore. Here in Le Havre, it starts with a ride into town, a warm welcome, and a feeling of belonging.
Le Dragon Déchaîné 