The local site presented IT equipment and a cheque for £1,000 to the centre which is being established by the British and International Sailors' Society.

The society is in the process of renovating a redundant office leased from the Montrose Port Authority and the total cost of creating the Seafarers' Centre in Meridian Street is estimated at £10,000. It is hoped it will be in operation before Christmas.

Around 2500 sailors from about 350 vessels visit the port each year and the new centre will enable them to keep in touch with family and friends and to have social contact.

Peter Donald, the society's chaplain at Montrose as well as serving Dundee and Perth ports, said that many of the visiting sailors are from Eastern Europe or further afield such as the Philippines, Indonesia and India.

He said: "When they are so far from home they really appreciate that someone is concerned enough to provide a facility where they can maintain the contact that many of us take for granted."

As well as providing telephone and e-mail contact facilities, the centre will have a quiet room, which can be used for confidential counselling with the society's volunteers or as somewhere sailors can find space to be on their own.

Mr Donald said: "We hope to offer visitors an opportunity to relax with a pool table, or similar activities, or to take books from our library for the long hours at sea."

A DVD/video exchange is also planned as is creating a clothing store as some visiting sailors lack clothing suitable to north east Scotland.

David Wintle, GSK Montrose Business Support Director, said: "As well as continuing the Montrose site tradition of supporting the community in which we operate, GSK is involved closely in the initiative to regenerate the south Montrose area and, in establishing the new drop in centre, the society is giving a new lease of life to a redundant building."