Resource

A sense of allyship is essential for all seafarers; however, one group for whom allyship can be particularly valuable is women seafarers who, especially on merchant vessels, regularly experience being the only woman on their vessel or team. More than any other group, women seafarers report experiencing harmful onboard behaviours including abuse, bullying, harassment, discrimination and violence (ABHDV) – including sexual violence. They are often treated as less knowledgeable or competent than they are, passed over or ignored for opportunities they have earned, and subjected to inappropriate remarks and attempts at humour that can leave them feeling excluded or uncomfortable.

ISWAN has produced a resource for seafarers on allyship to provide information and guidance on the actions that seafarers can take – both small and large – to directly support each other and promote fairness and equity at sea. This companion resource explores the steps that maritime stakeholders can take to foster a culture of allyship and thereby help to make the maritime sector a safe and inclusive space for all.

There are two versions available for download, one for seafarers and the other for maritime stakeholders. Use the drop-down menu shown right to select.

ITF List of designated risk areas, with applicable benefits
Updated 19 April 2024

Seafarers are at the heart of greening the maritime industry. The challenge for the ITF and its affiliated seafarer unions is making sure that there is a just transition which protects seafarers’ labour rights and working conditions while skilling them for the jobs of the future. Seafarers’ bulletin looks at the opportunities this provides for seafarer supply countries. It also examines how the industry has to change.

The ‘Marrakech Policy’, adopted at the International Transport Workers’ Federation’s (ITF) 46th Congress in Marrakech, Morocco, in October 2024, now forms the governing framework for the global union’s campaigning work on Flags of Convenience (FOC). 

The policy is the culmination of five years’ work by union representatives from ITF maritime affiliates to examine, plan and develop a new strategy in line with the shifting reality faced by seafarers since 2010 – when the preceding Mexico City Policy was adopted at the ITF’s 42nd Congress in Mexico City.

The Marrakech Policy, adopted by the Joint Seafarers’ and Dockers’ conference, sets out the minimum conditions the ITF and its affiliated unions will accept on FOC merchant ships. In doing so, it incorporates the new understanding of the critical importance of global supply chains that emerged out of the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as the central role for shipping and seafarers in combatting climate change through a just transition.

The Marrakech Policy will now form the baseline for the ITF’s Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA), which set the wages and working conditions for crews on FOC vessels, irrespective of nationality.

Acknowledging the significant contributions of women in enhancing diversity and innovation, this study examines the current state of gender equality within the Indian maritime sector. By exploring the perspectives and experiences of employers, onshore employees, and seafarers, this research aims to highlight progress made and identify opportunities for further advancement.

This guidance aims to increase awareness about violence and harassment against women transport workers and ways to prevent and address the problem.

The Seafarers’ International Union of Canada decided that surveying our membership regarding the issue of harassment was a necessary step in addressing these problems that unfortunately exist on board seagoing vessels across the country, impacting tens of thousands of hardworking seafarers. Harassment has been a known issue in the industry for quite some time and the SIU Canada made the decision to take the first step in trying to grasp the severity and scope of the issue among our membership, after similar action was taken by our friends with the Norwegian Seafarers’ Union. We thank the Norwegian Seafarers’ Union for leading the charge globally on confronting these problems.

This issue of Seafarers’ bulletin marks the 75th anniversary of the ITF’s campaign against flags of convenience. Thanks to our efforts, this discredited system is firmly on the international agenda. We show what FOCs really mean for seafarers, and we celebrate the wins achieved for seafarers by our inspectors, working with our affiliated unions.

This IBF Agreement is based on the IBF Framework CBA which sets out the standard terms and conditions applicable only to seafarers serving on any ship owned or operated by a company in membership with the Joint Negotiating Group in respect of which there is in existence an IBF Special Agreement. Together with the IBF Special Agreement and the IBF Memorandum of Agreement, which may contain additional terms and conditions relevant to seafarers, the IBF Framework CBA makes an integral part of the general IBF settlement negotiated between the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) and the Joint Negotiating Group (JNG) of maritime employers.

After recognising this possible gap in available health information and provisions which address health issues specific to women seafarers, representatives from IMHA, ISWAN, ITF and SHS designed an online pilot survey to find out how women currently working at sea view their health needs. This was conducted from the beginning of June 2014 for two months and was completed by 100 respondents.