News Update – 29th April to 4th May
Mother of B.C. tugboat victim frustrated by lack of changes | Global News – 29th April
16-months after a tugboat sank on B.C.’s North Coast, killing two workers, the mother of one of the victims says regulatory changes have not changed with Transport Canada since the accident. Genevieve Cragg’s son Charley died on his first day of work when the Ingenika tugboat sank south of Kitimat.
https://globalnews.ca/video/8797925/mother-of-b-c-tugboat-victim-frustrated-by-lack-of-changes/
Protesters blockade Northern Irish and Scottish ports calling for boycott of P&O Ferries | The Big Issue – 29th April
The European Causeway is back on the water just days after it suffered a power failure while crossing the Irish Sea.
Shipping Industry Pushes to Rescue Remaining Seafarers Trapped in Ukraine | G Captain – 29th April
Just under 500 seafarers remain stuck onboard 109 ships at Ukrainian ports – skeleton crews who were left on board to enable their crew mates to be evacuated amid the conflict with Russia, shipping officials said on Friday.
https://gcaptain.com/shipping-industry-rescue-seafarers-ukraine/
Workers’ Day: Nigerian seafarers bemoan slavelike treatment | Peoples Gazette – 1st May
He decried late payments of salaries to Nigerian seafarers despite prompt payment to their foreign counterparts in Nigeria’s territorial waters.
https://gazettengr.com/workers-day-nigerian-seafarers-bemoan-slavelike-treatment/
Seafarer Pleads Guilty to Stabbing Bosun Aboard Boxship MSC Ravenna | Maritime Executive – 2nd May
A crewmember of the boxship MSC Ravenna has pleaded guilty to stabbing and killing a crewmate while under way in the Pacific in 2020. Witnesses to the attack reported that the two men had an argument about crew change shortly before the incident.
Worker safety progress too slow | Otago Daily Times – 2nd May
The announcement of an investigation into health and safety practices at the nation’s ports will be too little too late for those affected by deaths and injuries in those workplaces in recent years.
https://www.odt.co.nz/opinion/editorial/worker-safety-progress-too-slow
Ukraine formally shuts Azov and Black Sea seaports captured by Russian forces: agriculture ministry | The New Arab – 2nd May
All Ukrainian seaports, including Mariupol and Kherson, have suspended their activity as a result of the Russian invasion in late February. where forces captured some ports and blockaded others.
https://english.alaraby.co.uk/news/ukraine-shuts-azov-black-sea-ports-captured-russia
Snarled-up ports point to worsening global supply chain woes – report | Reuters – 3rd May
Major ports in China, U.S. and Europe facing long delays. Shipping fuel cost up 66% in refuelling hub Singapore over last year. Russia-Ukraine war risks pushing up ship insurance costs
Seafarers not taking shore leave at some ports even as COVID restrictions start to ease | ABC News – 3rd May
Many seafarers have not left their ships for years during COVID. Some operators are still not allowing crews to take shore leave, out of fear they will contract the virus. Shipping Australia’s CEO believes there should be a global “debrief” about how the industry dealt with the pandemic
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-04/seafarers-not-taking-shore-leave-covid/101030642
How the shipping industry is sailing out of the global pandemic | Hellenic Shipping News – 3rd May
As the world looks to move on from fossil fuels, is there a future for economies like those of UAE that are built around oil? There are promising signs: the UAE non-oil trade posted an impressive 27 per cent rise in 2021, amounting to $1.9 trillion.
How the Shipping Industry Sails through Legal Loopholes | Hakai Magazine – 3rd May
A murky world of shell companies, flags of convenience, and end-of-life flags allows companies to dodge accountability and dispose of ships cheaply.
https://hakaimagazine.com/features/how-the-shipping-industry-sails-through-legal-loopholes/
‘Politically Difficult’ IMO Is Frustrating Top Ship Owners | G Captain – 4th May
Achieving the green transition is “both technically and politically very difficult,” said World Shipping Council President John Butler.
https://gcaptain.com/politically-difficult-imo-ship-owners/
Rebekah Attard | Maritime Assistant
Inspectorate Coordination
International Transport Workers’ Federation
ITF House, 49-60 Borough Road, London, SE1 1DR
Direct Line: 0207 940 9103
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