ICS Publishes Anti-Bullying Principles
The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has launched a set of industry principles for establishing effective measures to combat and eliminate harassment and bullying in the maritime sector.The principles have been published against the backdrop of a report by the International Labour Organization (ILO) â alongside Lloydâs Register Foundation (LRF) and Gallup â on experiences of violence and harassment at work. The first of its kind global survey and analysis benefitted from insights of 74,364 respondents in employment across a range of sectors in 121 countries and territories.
ICS Publishes Flag State Performance Table
A new table published by the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) indicates continuing positive performance by the vast majority of the maritime industry's flag states.Merchant ships are required to register under a flag state, which determines the vessel's nationality and gives jurisdiction under which to operate. Flag states have the authority and responsibility to enforce regulations over vessels registered under their flag, including those relating to inspection, certificationâŠ
Maritime Just Transition Task Force Plans Seafarer Skills Update
A new training project will prepare seafarers for zero or near-zero emission ships, helping the global shipping industry decarbonize and ensure a just transition for seafarers.Research commissioned by the Maritime Just Transition Task Force identified that 800,000 seafarers may require additional training by the mid-2030s to operate vessels run on zero or near zero emission fuels.The training framework, funded through the IMO and Lloydâs Register Foundation, will equip seafarers with skills in decarbonizationâŠ
Pakistan Takes Next Step Towards Hong Kong Convention Ratification
Pakistan is a step closer to becoming a party to the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009 (Hong Kong Convention).Following an IMO-run national seminar in Karachi, Pakistan, (November 13-15) to support the countryâs implementation of the Convention and related guidelines, the Pakistan (Federal) Cabinet completed the processes needed to prepare the instrument of accession to the convention.The seminar was hosted by Pakistan's Ministry of Maritime Affairs.
IMO/ILO Conference on Work at Sea Highlights Collaboration
The Joint IMO/ILO Conference on Work at Sea held on November 13 involved the sharing of best practices, views and experiences on: ensuring the rights of seafarers and fishers; identifying gaps in the current regulatory framework, including in relation to responsible management; and exploring how governments, industry, IGOs and NGOs can collaborate to improve the relevant international maritime legal framework.In his closing remarks International Labour Organization (ILO) Director-General Gilbert F.
250,000 Seafarers Have Pay Boosted by 6%
Seafarersâ unions and maritime employers have signed a four-year agreement that will see significant wage increases and dozens of workplace protections and improvements for over 250,000 seafarersâ serving on more than 10,000 vessels.The International Bargaining Forum (IBF), the forum that negotiates the worldâs largest global collective bargaining agreement, agreed terms for the 2024-2027 IBF Framework Agreement last week in Berlin.Seafarers covered by the agreement will receive a 6% wage increase over the next two years (4% wage and compensations increase from January 1âŠ
Bangladesh Ready to Ratify Hong Kong Convention
The Bangladesh Government has confirmed that it will ratify the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships in the next few weeks, allowing for the Convention to enter into force.BIMCOâs Secretary General and CEO, David Loosley visited Bangladesh as part of an industry delegation to discuss the benefits of the Convention entering into force. âBIMCO is delighted that Bangladesh has confirmed their commitment to ratifying the Convention in the very near future.
Asian Shipownersâ Association Calls for Action on Seafarer Safety
The Asian Shipownersâ Association (ASA) held its 32nd Annual General Meeting (AGM) on May 16 in Shanghai with focus of much of the discussion on the safety of seafarers.The meeting was hosted by the China Shipownersâ Association (CSA) and attended by more than 230 representatives from ASA Ordinary/Associate members.The ASA said that unfair treatment of seafarers has a severe impact on seafarers' physical and mental well-being and a damaging effect on the image of the shipping industry and its ability to attract and retain qualified seafarers.
Asian Seafarer Hubs Push Forward with New Technology Training
The seafarer home nations of the Philippines and Indonesia are working to equip their maritime workers with the skill sets needed to deliver a low and zero-carbon maritime sector.Speaking at the âSeizing opportunities for green shipping in Asia and the Pacificâ conference organized by the Philippines' Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), on May 15, Philippine Transmarine Carriers CEO Gerardo A. Borromeo said: âThere is no doubt that the skill set for a career at sea is evolving.
Mejia to Lead World Maritime University
Professor Max Mejia has been named as the next president of the World Maritime University (WMU) in Malmö, Sweden.Selected following a competitive selection process, Mejiaâthe university's current PhD program director and associate academic deanâ will succeed Dr. Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, whose term as WMU president will expire on June 29, 2023.WMU was founded by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in 1983, providing postgraduate maritime and ocean education, research and professional training.
Flag States Increase Seafarer Reporting 25% - ICS
The annual Shipping Industry Flag State Performance Table, published today from the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), highlights a 25% increase in flag states reporting on seafarer labor standards compared to last year. Each year flag states must report on labor standards as part of their ILO audit commitments. Some of the labor standards specific to seafarers include repatriation of seafarers, accommodation provision, health protection and medical care. This year 67.6% of flag states reported on their ILO audit commitmentsâŠ
Advisory Committee to Address Issues Impacting Filipino Seafarers
Global leaders from organizations representing seafarers, shipowners and other maritime employers signed a memorandum of understanding with the Philippinesâs Department of Migrant Workers on Wednesday 11 January, to form the International Advisory Committee on Global Maritime Affairs (IACGMA).The IACGMA is composed of the European Community Shipownersâ Associations (ECSA), the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), the International Maritime Employersâ Council (IMEC), and theâŠ
Rear Admiral Greco Joins San Marino Ship Register
San Marino Ship Register said it has hired Rear Admiral Giovanni Greco to develop institutional relations and national maritime legislation.A graduate of the Genoa Nautical Institute, R. Adm. Grecoâs career started on board merchant ships in Europe, the United States, the Persian Gulf, and the Far East. In 1991, he joined the Italian Coast Guard until his retirement in May 2022. During his service, he was harbor master in Fano, Ortona, Crotone, and Vice Commandant in Ravenna.
New Minimum Wage for Seafarers
The worldâs seafarers are set to see their monthly minimum wages rise incrementally over the course of the next three years.The change is the result of a a resolution agreed by a subcommittee of the the International Labor Organization's (ILO) Joint Maritime Commission (JMC).The meeting agreed to raise the ILO minimum basic wage for an able seafarer to US$658 as of January 1, 2023. The rate will be increased to US$666 as of January 1, 2024 and to US$673 as of January 1, 2025.The subcommittee also agreed that the figure of US $673 as of March 1âŠ
Stranded Seafarers Escape Ukraine, Others Trapped
A portion of the estimated 1,000 seafarers trapped in Ukraine have escaped, the International Labour Organization and industry officials told Reuters, voicing concern for those remaining trapped onboard ships or unaccounted for.Several foreign cargo ships have been struck by crossfire in Ukraine since the Russian invasion began on Feb. 24. U.N. agencies have called for urgent action to protect some 1,000 seafarers from at least 20 countries, including in the besieged city of MariupolâŠ
UN Bodies Call for More Action to End Crew Change Crisis
Four UN organizations have called for continued global collaboration to address the crew change crisis that at times during the COVID-19 pandemic has left more than 400,000 seafarers stranded at sea.In a joint statement issued on February 28, the International Labor Organization (ILO), the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the World Health Organization (WHO) say new challenges and variants of concern like Omicron threaten to worsen the plight of the worldâs seafarersâŠ
New Quarantine Program Aims to Combat Shipping Industry Crew Crunch
The maritime industry is establishing its own approved international network of quarantine facilities to ensure safe crew changes as the Omicron variant spurs governments to close their borders to seafarers needing to leave and join ships.The Crew Enhanced Quarantine International Program (#CrewEQUIP) is a partnership between the International Maritime Employersâ Council (IMEC); the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS); and the International Transport Workersâ Federation (ITF)âŠ
VIDEO: Long-Term Consequences of Covid-19âs Crew Change Crisis
The international shipping industry continued its long-term positive safety trend over the past year. The number of large vessels lost remained at record low levels in 2020, while reported incidents declined year-on-year, according to Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty SEâs (AGCS) Safety & Shipping Review 2021.The AGCS report notes that the shipping sector has shown great resilience through the coronavirus pandemic, as evidenced by strong trade volumes and the recovery seen in several parts of the industry today.
Cyprus to Vaccinate All Seafarers on Flagged & Managed Ships
The Cyprus Shipping Deputy Ministry (SDM) has issued a circular outlining plans to provide COVID-19 vaccinations to all seafarers on Cyprus-flagged and Cyprus-managed vessels as the island nation also explores the potential to become a vaccination hub for all visiting seafarers.Vaccines will be administered by qualified medical staff to all seafarers working on board Cyprus-flagged ships, irrespective of the location of the vessel, and certificates provided, as stipulated in the circular issued Friday, on International Day of the Seafarer.
UN Urges Prioritization of Seafarer Vaccinations
Unite Nations organizations this week issued a joint call for the world's seafarers to be prioritized for COVID-19 vaccination, stressing their key role in supporting global trade.The heads of five UN organizations have called for maritime and air transport workers to be prioritized for COVID-19 vaccination.Seafarers and aircrew are key workers, required to travel across borders, which mayâthough contrary to WHO recommendationsâresult in the need for them to present proof of a COVID-19 vaccination as a condition for entry in some countries.
Panama Asks IMO for Help in China's Coal Carrier Dispute with Australia
Panama is urging the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to step in to help stranded seafarers and shipowners wrapped up in a trade dispute between China and Australia.Some 74 vessels loaded with Australian coal and more than 1,500 mariners are currently idled in Chinese ports and waters after Beijing last year placed an unofficial ban on imports from Australia, reportedly in retaliation for Canberra's call for an international probe of the origins of the coronavirus pandemic.
IMO Condemns Charterersâ 'No Crew Change' Clauses
The head of the United Nations' shipping agency has spoken out against âno crew changeâ clauses in charterparties, stating such clauses exacerbate the dire situation of stranded seafarers and undermine the efforts undertaken to resolve the ongoing crew change crisis.So-called âno crew changeâ clauses, which are demanded by certain charterers, state that no crew changes can occur whilst the chartererâs cargo is onboard â hence not allowing the ship to deviate to ports where crew changes could take place.
Satellites Expose Risks of Forced Labor in Global Fishing
Fishing vessels with crews of forced laborers behave in systematically different ways to the rest of the global fleet, according to a study purporting to be the first to remotely identify vessels potentially engaged in modern slavery.Using satellite data, machine learning and on-the-ground expertise from human rights practitioners, U.S. researchers found up to 26% of about 16,000 industrial fishing vessels analyzed were at high risk of using forced labor.As many as 100,000 people are estimated to work on these high-risk vessels, many of whom are potential victims of forced labor.