ITF News Update – 17th to 24th September
Stuck on Board for a Year, Syrian Crew Alleges Threats and Abandonment | Maritime Executive – 17th September
A plague of crew abandonment has swept through the lower end of the maritime industry over the past year, with dozens of small shipowners allegedly walking away from their financially-distressed vessels and leaving the crews behind – often without pay.
29 Filipino seafarers stranded in China | Phil Star – 18th September
MANILA, Philippines — Twenty-nine Filipino seafarers are stranded off the coast of China after their vessels ceased operations last May, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) revealed yesterday.
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/09/18/2127873/29-filipino-seafarers-stranded-china
Top Ship Manager Blasts Port States for Blocking Crew Change | Maritime Executive – 19th September
While the shipping industry is putting increasing attention and focus on decarbonization, the crew change crisis has not ended, and vessel operations are still heavily dependent on thousands of dedicated seafarers. Their efforts are particularly visible at congested container ports: as of Sunday, 71 container ships were waiting to berth at busy terminals in Long Beach and Los Angeles, with 71 crews tending to their engines and equipment.
https://maritime-executive.com/article/top-ship-manager-blasts-port-states-for-blocking-crew-change
Shipwreck survivor secures compensation with union’s support | ITF Seafarers – 20th September
In September 2019, a tug supply vessel sank in the middle of the central Atlantic Ocean. The ‘Bourbon Rhode’ was travelling from the Canary Islands to Guyana in South America when it was hit by a devastating hurricane: Lorenzo.
https://www.itfseafarers.org/en/news/shipwreck-survivor-secures-compensation-unions-support
‘Be ambitious, but be positive’: new union voice delivers UN Global Compact climate message | ITF Seafarers – 20th September
A newly-appointed labour representative on the board of the United Nations Global Compact has delivered a positive message on the benefits of tackling climate change for workers at the launch of the ‘Ocean Stewardship Coalition’ held in New York today.
Norway to vaccinate all foreign seafarers in Norwegian ports | ScandAsia – 21st September
Several European countries have recently opened up for all foreign seafarers to be vaccinated either at ports or airports and now Norway will follow suit and offer vaccines to all foreign seafarers in Norwegian ports.
https://scandasia.com/norway-to-vaccinate-all-foreign-seafarers-in-norwegian-ports/
Seafarer Vaccination Numbers Improve, But Challenges Remain | Maritime Executive – 21st September
The percentage of seafarers who have received a full course of a COVID-19 vaccine is improving, according to the latest numbers released by the Neptune Declaration’s crew change tracker. As of September, about 22 percent of the world’s 1.4 million seafarers have been vaccinated, up from 15 percent in August. The number varies regionally, but it represents a considerable overall improvement from early this year.
ITF: Zero-carbon industries can be big opportunity for workers & seafarers | Assafina Online – 21st September
The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) is backing a zero-carbon emissions target for shipping by 2050, saying that the energy transition can bring benefits to workers if done in the right way.
65 cargo ships queue outside America’s biggest ports in supply chain disruption | The Independent – 22nd September
Dozens of cargo ships are stuck outside two of the US’s biggest ports as supply chain problems continue to bite the global economy.
https://www.independent.co.uk/money/cargo-ships-backlog-california-port-b1925228.html
World’s first all-electric tugboat completes 18 months in operation | Martine Log – 22nd September
Turkish tugboat designer Navtek Naval Technologies says that its first Zeetug (zero-emission electric tugboat), Gisas Power, has proven its design and operational performance with consistent results over the past 18 months.
Vaccination and global cooperation key to solving crew change crisis | Seatrade Maritime News – 23rd September
With the crew change crisis having dragged on for the better part of two years seafarer vaccination and global cooperation were seen as key to long term solution by a panel of senior executives from across the shipping industry.
‘I need this very badly’: International cargo crew gets COVID-19 vaccine at Port of Vancouver | Global News – 23rd September
Eighteen crew members of the Odysseas – L freighter were vaccinated Thursday as part of Vancouver Coastal Health’s effort to immunize seafarers against COVID-19.
https://globalnews.ca/news/8216550/international-cargo-crew-covid19-vaccine-vancouver
Avoid ‘Able Maritime’: ITF close to red list ban for shocking Filipino manning agency | ITF Seafarers – 24th September
The Able Maritime Seafarers Inc manning agency in the Philippines is close to being red listed by the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) after a series of incidents where crews’ rights have been abused.
https://itfseafarers.org/en/news/avoid-able-maritime-itf-close-red-list-ban-shocking-filipino-manning-agency