Each country has its own legal system. What you might expect in your own country may not apply elsewhere.
The European Union (EU) has suspended its search-and-rescue sea patrols that have helped to rescue thousands of refugees and migrants attempting the dangerous Mediterranean crossing into European waters, often in overcrowded and unseaworthy boats.
Armed robbers and pirates continue to pose a threat to seafarers in many waters and ports. West Africa has been a particular hotspot, but incidents also take place in other regions.
The incident involving Contship Oak occurred on March 30, 2019, is the latest abduction in the Gulf of Guinea, which has become a global hotspot for modern piracy and attacks against ships.
Croatia has been an active maritime nation since the end of the Second World War, giving the country an advantage compared to other Eastern European countries in terms of language, education and international experience.
Iceland and Ethiopia have become the latest member states of the International Labour Organization (ILO) to ratify the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006, as amended (MLC 2006), which sets out minimum international working and living conditions for seafarers on board vessels.
The latest quarterly figures from the International Chamber of Commerce International Maritime Bureau (IMB) show a fall in incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships reported to the IMB’s Piracy Reporting Centre in the first three months of 2019 compared with the same period in 2018.
The targeted operation will see the ITF Inspectorate – a network of 147 inspectors and contacts based in ports all over the world – inspecting and auditing the Blumenthal fleet in ports around the world.
The International Seafarers' Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN) has produced new guidance to assist welfare organisations when they are supporting seafarers who are abandoned or dealing with vessels that have been arrested or detained.
The meeting in Cartagena last week culminated with the launch of the ITF Latin American Contact Network, extending the ITF’s commitment to providing support to seafarers in the region.
