ITF News Update
Maersk vessel rescues 18 crew from sinking cargo ship
A Vietnamese-registered general cargoship Dolphin 18 sent out a distress call on Saturday morning and later sank. The Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said its Maritime and Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) had been alerted by the container vessel Nicolai Maersk that it had received a distress call from the Dolphin 18. The MRCC was alerted at around 07:00 hrs Singapore time on 11 January.
https://www.seatrade-maritime.com/accidents/maersk-vessel-rescues-18-crew-from-sinking-cargo-ship
India Integrates Stress Management Training Into Maritime Curriculum
Indian seafarers are set to benefit from a dedicated mental health awareness module in the national maritime curriculum, thanks to a landmark agreement between India and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF). … Maritime faculty members will receive specialized training, enabling them to incorporate a stress management module into cadet training programs. Focus on Early Intervention: The initiative emphasizes addressing mental health concerns during the formative stages of seafarers’ careers.
https://safety4sea.com/india-collaborates-with-itf-over-seafarer-mental-health/
One in three seafarers still being forced to pay illegal recruitment fees, survey finds
Don’t be scammed: demanding a recruitment fee is illegal under the Maritime Labour Convention. Channels for seafarers to find jobs without paying fees, as well as opportunities for them to report incidents can currently be done via the International Transport Workers’ Federation. Image: Danny Cornelissen A third of seafarers have said that they have paid a fee to get a job, with many reporting that they had gone into debt to do so, according to a 2024 survey.
BIMCO chief Nikolaus Schues says, Essential Marine workers. ‘Don’t criminalise seafarers’
In May 2023, Nikolaus Schues took over as president of the Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO), a non-profit organisation and the largest international shipping association. …Schues is passionate about issues related to seafarers and sectors such as ship recycling. During his visit to Chennai recently, he shared with businessline his views on some of these issues. Edited excerpts from the interview:
https://seafarertimes.com/2018-19/node/9248
Fraudulent ship registries continue to plague global shipping
A new submission to IMO’s Legal Committee made by twenty one nations, presents measures to prevent unlawful practices associated with the fraudulent registration and fraudulent registries of ships. The document provides a proposal to conduct a regulatory scoping exercise of conventions under the purview of the Legal Committee and other relevant instruments to further develop actions to prevent illegal operations in the maritime sector by the “dark fleet” or “shadow fleet”.
https://safety4sea.com/fraudulent-ship-registries-continue-to-plague-global-shipping/
Monsoon mayhem causes crews of two tankers and a general cargo vessel to abandon ship
Weekend weather chaos sees both a general cargo ship and a tanker sink, while another tanker caught fire. Maritime safety officials in Southeast Asia were on high alert over the weekend as a general cargo ship and a bunker tanker sank and a product tanker caught fire as torrential rains and high caused by a monsoon surge lashed the region.
US and UK Introduce Sanctions on Russian Oil and Gas Sector Before Trump Inauguration
n the final days of Joe Biden’s presidency, the United States and the United Kingdom announced a robust set of sanctions targeting Russia’s oil and gas sector. The measures, which focus on two of Russia’s largest energy companies, Gazprom and Surgutneftegas, also extend to the country’s so-called “shadow fleet” of tankers used to circumvent existing Western sanctions.
https://eutoday.net/us-and-uk-introduce-sanctions-on-russian-oil-and-gas/
The IMO should adopt a carbon levy
More than 45 countries, the European Commission and the shipping industry are right to pledge their support. The IMO is building towards majority support for a flat carbon levy on shipping’s greenhouse gas emissions. Countries should follow the science and vote it into law. FREE TO READ
https://www.lloydslist.com/LL1152174/The-IMO-should-adopt-a-carbon-levy
Seafarer Abandonment Doubles In A Year With All-Time High 310 Cases In 2024
The number of seafarers abandoned at sea surged to an all-time high in 2024, with 310 cases reported globally. This marks a 118% increase compared to 2023’s record of 142 cases, according to the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Experts have linked this sharp rise to the increasing size of the shadow fleet, which includes vessels carrying sanctioned oil and operating under minimal oversight.
Empowering Seafarers: Human-Centred Design at the IMO SDC-11
Collaboration between The Nautical Institute, a proud partner of the EU co-funded OCEAN Project and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) is set to take centre stage at the IMO Sub-Committee on Ship Design and Construction (SDC-11) on Monday 13th January.
Solon: Hundreds to benefit from new seafarers’ law
Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte said about 700 Filipino seafarers will now have better legal protection, cutting-edge training, and other benefits following the release of the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers.
https://manilastandard.net/news/314545762/solon-hundreds-to-benefit-from-new-seafarers-law.html
Maritime piracy dropped in 2024 but crew safety remains at risk
The ICC International Maritime Bureau (IMB) has reported a decline in global maritime incidents and piracy in 2024 but urges continued caution as crew safety remains at risk. The IMB annual Piracy and Armed Robbery Report recorded 116 incidents against ships in 2024 compared to 120 in 2023 and 115 in 2022. It reveals that 94 vessels were boarded, 13 attempted attacks, six vessels hijacked and three fired upon.
First signs of post-sanctions stranded Russia oil cargoes emerge at Chinese ports
Vessel tracking shows disruption and delays to Russian oil flows three days after more than 155 tankers are sanctioned in largest-ever crackdown on Russian oil exports. With more than half of Russian crude last month shipped on tankers now sanctioned, oil producers are expected to recalibrate seaborne logistics and consolidate cargoes onto larger tankers that are able to call at ports in China and India, the biggest buyers. FREE TO READ
Highlighting the scale of seafarer criminalisation
Intermanager is collating cases of seafarer criminalisation in an effort to draw greater attention to the issue. The criminalisation of seafarers in cases such as accidents and oil spills are a longstanding problem, as well as other issues such as drugs being found on board, and ship manager trade association Intermanager says it is increasingly concerned at the harsh treatment of crews in some parts of the world.
https://www.seatrade-maritime.com/crewing/highlighting-the-scale-of-seafarer-criminalisation
‘Alarming’: Ship abandonment hits record levels with thousands of seafarers impacted
Cases hit record levels in 2024 as IMO chief warns of impact on seafarer recruitment. The number of abandoned vessels spiked dramatically to record levels in 2024 with seafarers left without proper compensation in hundreds of cases.
The number of reported cases last year hit 310 ships and “alarmingly and very excessively surpassing” the previous year’s record of 142 cases, according to United Nations data.
https://archive.ph/V9mXK#selection-1217.0-1221.176
Biden Issues Final Maritime Cybersecurity Rules
White House Mandates Cyber Incident Response Plans Amid Growing Chinese Threat. Federal regulations unveiled Tuesday will require the U.S. maritime industry to implement baseline cybersecurity measures amid concerns over exposure to attacks from adversaries such as China.
https://www.govinfosecurity.com/biden-issues-final-maritime-cybersecurity-rules-a-27288
NATO Agrees to Enhance Baltic Surveillance by Air and Sea
NATO conducted a Baltic Se Allies Summit today in Helsinki and agreed to the request from Finland and Estonia to increase surveillance efforts to protect key underwater assets and deter future efforts of sabotage. The heads of state issued a joint statement expressing their concern while saying they were determined to deter, detect, and counter any attempts at sabotage.
https://maritime-executive.com/article/nato-agrees-to-enhance-baltic-surveillance-by-air-and-sea
‘No evidence’ for jailing of bulker master and officer for 30 years over drugs
Phoenician-M case highlights danger to seafarers of narcotics planted on board. The starkest example of innocent seafarers being jailed over alleged drugs offences involves the captain and chief officer of a Marshall Islands-owned bulker. Croatian captain Marko Bekavac and Finnish colleague Ali Albokhari were sentenced to 30 years in Turkey last year after cocaine was found on the 34,400-dwt handysize Phoenician-M (built 2010), owned by Phoenician Shipping.
After cable damage, Taiwan to step up surveillance of flag of convenience ships
TAIPEI, Jan 15 (Reuters) – Taiwan will step up the surveillance and management of ships carrying flags of convenience, including boarding them, after a Chinese-linked cargo vessel was suspected of damaging an undersea communications cable, the government said.
After cable damage, Taiwan to step up surveillance of flag of convenience ships | Reuters
Shadow Fleet Tanker May Have Been Minutes From Causing More Damage
After a NATO summit on Baltic Sea security in Helsinki, Finnish President Alexander Stubb told reporters that the “shadow fleet” tanker Eagle S was just minutes away from inflicting more damage on subsea infrastructure when Finland intervened in her voyage. “Had it continued for another 12 minutes, the carnage would have been much worse than the four basic cables that were there,” he said.
Shadow Fleet Tanker May Have Been Minutes From Causing More Damage
Building a fair and resilient maritime industry
The global shipping industry faces a paradox: while it is the backbone of international trade, it lags in transparency and human sustainability standards. Amid growing environmental, social and governance (ESG) concerns, geopolitical uncertainty that directly impacts seafarer wellbeing (such as the Red Sea attacks), and labour shortages at a 17-year high, the industry must urgently address issues of human rights, diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I), and worker wellbeing.
Building a fair and resilient maritime industry – Splash247
Emerging and enduring skills for seafarers
As the maritime industry is transforming, seafarers are required to develop key domain, digital, and soft skills to adapt to rapid technological and industry changes. The Singapore Maritime Foundation (SMF) released a report last year from the Tripartite Advisory Panel (TAP) on the Future-ready Maritime Workforce, which outlines the essential skills maritime professionals will need to effectively navigate the future.
Emerging and enduring skills for seafarers – SAFETY4SEA
Seafarers grateful for magna carta IRR’s release
TACLOBAN CITY (PIA) —Filipino seafarers training at the National Maritime Polytechnic (NMP) in Tacloban City are celebrating the release of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers (MCFS). The newly enacted law has been lauded as a significant milestone that ensures the rights, safety, and welfare of Filipino maritime workers both here and abroad.
Seafarers grateful for magna carta IRR’s release – Philippine Information Agency
Hundreds of European containers reportedly stranded in Russia
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the European Union implemented a series of trade sanctions against the Russian Federation, including bans on exporting certain categories of goods. While these measures are well-documented, less known are Russia’s reciprocal sanctions on the EU. On 15 October 2024, Moscow extended its list of goods prohibited from entering its territory.
Hundreds of European containers reportedly stranded in Russia – TrasportoEuropa
No imminent return to Red Sea for shipping despite Gaza ceasefire
Houthi militants signal that attacks may continue despite a ceasefire deal. A ceasefire deal in Gaza has not altered the current threat assessment for shipping in the Red Sea and shipping lines will not be prepared to disrupt global supply chains by re-routing until there is hard evidence the Houthi threat has diminished. FREE TO READ
No imminent return to Red Sea for shipping despite Gaza ceasefire :: Lloyd’s List