Business representatives - who made up one third of the 2,500 delegates from governments, trade unions, civil society and international organisations – were reminded that engagement with unions is key.
The Australian Senate has agreed to hold an inquiry into the shipping industry.
The European maritime union Nautilus has been successful in winning unpaid wages totalling almost USD1 million owed to the crew of a “superyacht” that was arrested in Malta.
A new independent report commissioned by the ITF warns of the consequences for safety in the Panama Canal resulting from poor working practices that lead to fatigue for tugboat captains. It says that a major accident on the canal “could be imminent”.
Maritime crime, including armed robbery and piracy, still pose a threat to seafarers in many “hotspots”, including the waters off west Africa and the South China Sea.
In August 2018 the MoU was signed and guaranteed recruitment of Kenyan seafarers to work on MSC vessels. The SUK, ITF inspector Betty Makena, Kenya’s ministry of transport and the Kenya Maritime Authority were all involved in the recruitment process.
The study was discussed during the Plenary Session of the International Maritime Organization’s 100th Maritime Safety Committee last week and was well received as it provides an independent expert overview of the situation in the Canal.
To mark the occasion, three speakers made up a special panel with representatives from manufacturers, technology providers and the ITF-accredited representative to the IMO Branko Berlan spoke on behalf workers.
More migrants and refugees have been detected and rescued attempting to make the dangerous crossing across the English Channel from France to the English coast. Their small inflatable boats and rubber dinghies risk the hazards of crossing the world’s busiest shipping lane.
The European Union (EU) has extended its maritime security mission in Somalia until the end of 2020. “EUCAP Somalia” has been an important factor in helping to develop and enforce maritime law in Somalia.
