ITF raises alarm over global abandonment of vessels, recovers $45m for seafarers
By Seun Ibiyemi
The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has raised the alarm over record-high abandonments of vessels globally, in the maritime space, stressing that despite the worrisome figure, its inspectors recovered $45million on behalf of seafarers’ wages .
According to a statement made available to journalists, the new figures released by the ITF showed that $44,613,880 of seafarers’ owed wages were recovered by the ITF’s network of inspectors across the world last year.
Meanwhile, the number of ship abandonments reported more than doubled from 40 in 2019, to 85 in 2020.
ITF Inspectorate Coordinator Steve Trowsdale lamented that the abandonments were at all-time high.
“Despite there being fewer inspections that we were able to undertake due to Coronavirus social distancing requirements and restrictions, our inspectors actually recovered almost the same amount of owed wages for seafarers as we did last year.
“The pandemic has proved genuinely difficult for some shipowners who were already running marginally viable operations – some have struggled to pay for more-expensive repatriation flights than what they’re used to get seafarers home, and the new cost of quarantine. But financial challenges faced by companies are no reason to suspend the payment wages or not uphold seafarers’ human rights,” said Trowsdale.
The release also said ‘Owed wages’ are usually pay, bonuses or entitlements that are unpaid by a shipowner or their agent for the work already done by a seafarer.
Steve Trowsdale, who leads the ITF’s 134 coordinators, inspectors and contacts, said the owed wages figure was substantial considering how difficult it has been for inspectors to board ships due to COVID-19 restrictions imposed by governments, health and port authorities.
Despite restrictions, inspectors supported seafarers with 7,476 cases in 2020, with more than 6,000 vessels boarded.
The cost of flights and governments’ travel and transit restrictions introduced to combat the spread of COVID-19 has resulted in a ‘crew change crisis,’ which sees seafarers routinely forced to work over-contract on vessels. But the Maritime Labour Convention (2006, as amended) prevents shipowners from making seafarers work beyond 11 months onboard.
“ITF inspectors often conduct ‘inspections’ of vessels to ensure the health and safety of the crew, and that seafarers on board are fed, supported and paid in accordance with all relevant contractual and legal entitlements. They help seafarers stand up for their rights to stop working and get home at the end of contracts.
“But with the pandemic, in-person inspections have become difficult in some countries.
“Being unable to visit vessels in many places, our inspectors and contacts have had to work remotely and engage more than ever before with seafarers through digital channels like social media. The result has been the ITF holding the line for seafarers and their rights during the pandemic,” said Trowsdale.
“Every dollar recovered by the ITF and our inspectors is income that seafarers and their families are counting on. This is money they earned, need and deserve. Seafaring can be hard, challenging work that requires much skill – and months away from your loved ones. The ITF family won’t let employers rip seafarers off if we can stop it.”
ITF Inspectorate Coordinator Steve Trowsdale said “Financial challenges faced by companies are no reason to suspend the payment wages or not uphold seafarers’ human rights.”
In addition to recovering the wages of crew aboard this vessel in May 2021, ITF Inspector Nathan Smith also pushed for the seafarers to receive fresh provisions, as per their entitlements under the Maritime Labour Convention (2006, as amended).
