Port Levy Scheme Formula

In ports where a levy scheme exists, whether compulsory or voluntary, an agreement should be put in place for the disbursement of funds. The National Seafarers' Welfare Board should determine to set aside a small emergency fund, which all welfare organisations will be able to access at short notice. Thereafter the total sum that has accrued will be split 20% for capital projects, aimed at improving existing seafarers’ welfare services, and 80% service delivery support costs. The remaining 80% (or 100% if there are no requests for capital grants) will be allocated via a recommended formula detailed below, which rewards organisations that have actually delivered port welfare services over a period of time.

Port welfare services are provided to seafarers by people ashore, therefore, it is people not facilities at the heart of the distribution formula. Although all welfare workers have an important contribution to make to seafarers’ welfare, financially, full time (paid) employees such as Port Chaplains and Centre Managers are the costliest, followed by part time (paid) workers and then, last but not least, (non-paid) volunteers.To that end, the formula will allocate points on a ‘per person per organisation’ basis as follows:

Full Time (Paid) Employees- 20 points

Part Time (Paid) Employees- 4 points per day per week (max 16 points)

*Volunteers (Unpaid)- 1 point

*In exceptional circumstances, where the contribution of an individual unpaid volunteer is exceeding normal expectations over a prolonged period, the Port Welfare Committee can allocate up to a maximum of 12 points.

EXAMPLE

Following 20% set aside for capital projects, an annual amount of $100,000 would be distributed to welfare service providers as follows:

Organisation 1 (operating a centre)

1 x Full Time Centre Manager - 20 points

1 x Part Time Chaplain (3 x days) - 12 points

15 x Volunteers - 15 points

Total Points = 47

Total Funding = $43,518

Organisation 2 (no centre)

1 x Full Time Chaplain - 20 points

1 x Volunteer - 12 points

Total Points = 32

Total Funding = $29,630

Organisation 3 (operates small centre)

1 x Full Time Chaplain - 20 points

9 x Volunteers- 9 points

Total Points = 29

Total Funding = $26,852

Total $100,000 / 108pts = $925.92 per point

The above formula is only needed when there is more than one society providing seafarers’ welfare services in a port. Many ports are now automating the levy system, which is monitored by the port owner and the National Seafarers' Welfare Board.