National Union News

William A. O’Neil, Secretary-General Emeritus of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), has died in the United Kingdom, aged 93.O’Neil was elected Secretary-General of the IMO for a first term of Office beginning in 1990, a second term beginning in 1994, a third term beginning in 1998 and a further two-year term from 2002 to 31 December 2003. He was the second longest serving Secretary-General of IMO.Current IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim expressed his sincere condolences to the Canadian Government…

The continued detention of British-flagged tanker Stena Impero is "unacceptable and unjustifiable" and there are concerns for the welfare of the crew after 19 days in confinement, the vessel's owner said on Tuesday.Iran's Revolutionary Guards on July 19 seized the Stena Impero in the Strait of Hormuz waterway for alleged marine violations. That came two weeks after Britain seized an Iranian oil tanker near Gibraltar, accusing it of violating sanctions on Syria.Britain has repeatedly ruled out any swap of tankers.The saga has exacerbated frictions between Tehran and the West since the United States pulled out of an international agreement…

Concerned with declining market of Indian seafarers industry despite having high population in comparison to its rival countries, representatives of leading shipping associations in the country have joined a ‘task force’ or committee formed by Directorate General of Shipping of India to primarily increase the global share of Indian seafarers' market to over 9 percent from 7 percent at present. Among the associations are National Union of Seafarers of India (NUSI), Maritime Union of India (MUI), Maritime Association of Shipowners, Shipowners and Agents (MASSA) and others. India with 12 per cent of the world’s population has just 7 per cent of the seafarers’ market whilst Philippines with just 2 per cent of the world's population has grabbed about 20 per cent global share.

Around 200 seafarers with Shipping Corporation of India (SCI), the country's largest shipping company, are on a hunger strike (industrial action) since Saturday over wages and arrears. According to a Press Trust of India report, these seafarers, deployed on 15 vessels owned and operated by the Centre, launched their strike demanding revised wages in accordance with the clauses of National Maritime Board Indias agreement. These seafarers have also approached the National Union of Seafarers of India (NUSI) for its intervention. "SCI was meant to have increased seafarer wages by 30% as agreed in March last year," says the Union. “The arrears haven’t been given for over a year now.

Indian shipping trade union the National Union of Seafarers of India (NUSI) has asked the Indian Ministry of Shipping for financial help toward the training of maritime workforce in oil exploration activities. The union’s General Secretary, Abdulgani Serang, said NUSI has requested financial aid and incentives from the Ministry through National Shipping Board for training the maritime workforce at NUSI Offshore Training Institute (NOTI), currently operated by NUSI-ITF Trust. NOTI trains the workforce that operates specialized vessels…

The Indian seafarers celebrate 6th November as the Seamen’s Unity Day. The National Union of Seafarers of India (NUSI) commemorated the occasion as is done annually on the 6th of November, which is also a paid holiday for seafarers working on Indian and foreign flag ships. The Seamen’s Unity Day function, 2015 was attended by hundreds of seafarers, family members besides the representatives of shipping organizations. NUSI President, Capt. N. Hiranandani presided the function and informed the gathering about the ISWAN award that was bagged by NUSI. He also notified everybody about the Income tax relief which has benefitted the Indian seafarers. The gathering also witnessed felicitation of Capt. Nalin Pandey, Managing Director of Pentagon Shipping Ltd. for being awarded the Link India U.K.

The National Union of Seafarers of India (NUSI) has informed has conceded to their demands of granting Income tax exemption to Indian seafarers sailing on Indian flag vessels. Accordingly, Union has stated that through a the Government of India circular the government has accepted the demand of NUSI to have no income tax for Indian seafarers working on Indian flag ships. Indian flag ships whether on the coast or in foreign waters will now be considered totally as period in foreign waters. Members of NUSI have appreciated the positive stand of the Government. In press release it was stated "NUSI and Indian seafarers are very happy due to this development and appreciate the efforts of Nitin Gadkari…

The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) expressed its satisfaction after the main contractor for the Third Set of Locks Project, Grupo Unidos por el Canal (GUPC), and the National Union of Workers of Construction and Similar Industries (SUNTRACS) reached an agreement which supersedes the strike call in the new locks’ construction site in both the Atlantic and the Pacific sides. The ACP expects this agreement marks the continuation of a harmonious relationship between both parties, and thus the completion of the work as it is scheduled, which has now reached 93 percent completion.

The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) issued a press release stating it has learned of a National Union of Workers of Construction and Similar Industries (SUNTRACS) notice to strike issued to Grupo Unidos por el Canal (GUPC), the main contractor for the Canal's third set of locks project, which is currently 93 percent complete. The ACP said it is deeply concerned about the situation and is closely following its developments as the authority’s business may be directly impacted if work is not carried out to deliver the project on time. The ACP said it has therefore encouraged both sides to reach an agreement on matters that, by law, only pertain to dealings between GUPC and SUNTRACS members.

The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) has learned of the National Union of Workers of Construction and Similar Industries (SUNTRACS) notice to strike issued to Grupo Unidos por el Canal (GUPC). GUPC is the main contractor for the Canal's third set of locks project, which is currently 93 percent complete. The ACP has repeatedly appealed to both sides to reach an agreement on matters that, by law, only pertain to dealings between GUPC and SUNTRACS members. The ACP, although the ultimate owner of the project, is in no way responsible for labor issues arising from any failure on the part of GUPC to meet labor demands by its subcontractors. On the contrary…

New York Harbor Tug Boat Captains and Crews, Staten Island Ferry Workers, Circle Line and Other Tourist Boat Crews Vote to Join New Union. New York-area watermen who operate tugboats, dredges, tourist boats and ferries, members of Staten Island-based Local 333, have voted by an overwhelming margin to support a merger between Local 333 and the Maryland-based International Organization of Masters, Mates and Pilots. By a more than 2 to 1 margin, 1,300 New York and New Jersey mariners voted to affiliate with the larger national union of deck officers who serve on ocean-going ships…

Uniting with the International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots will bring added clout, resources and training to local mariners and open the door to opportunities beyond the East Coast, the union said. Ballots are arriving in the mail this week at the homes of 1,300 area mariners for an election to decide whether local watermen will join a large national union of deck officers who serve on ocean-going ships, and which also represents captains and crews on inland waterways beyond New York Harbor. Ballots will be tabulated and results announced in mid-November.

Indian seafarers serving on Indian flagged vessel are forced to pay income tax if their vessel touches two Indian ports during a voyage whereas Indians serving on foreign flag vessels were exempted from paying such a tax. This had cast a burden not only on the seafarers but Indian shipping companies which, as a result, have been seeing flight of good talent to foreign shipping companies. The National Union of Seafarers of India (NUSI) has been consistently persuing the matter with the Government of India demanding grant of parity to Indian seafarers serviing on Indian vessels with those on foreign flagged vessel and have now finally found success. NUSI informed that the Government has accepted thier demand for Income Tax relief to Indian seafarers working on Indian flag ships.

If and when Brazil gets its maritime act together, oh what a shipbuilding market force it could be. The modern Brazilian shipbuilding industry was established in the 1960s, induced by a broad and effective governmental policy. The 1960s and 1970s saw the rise of the merchant marine and shipbuilding industry in Brazil. The creation of the “Merchant Marine Fund” and the “Tax for the Merchant Marine Renewal,” in 1958, together with other specific targets set by the government at that time, made investments available to the shipbuilding industry and for the development of the merchant marine in general. Counting on such incentives, new shipyards such as Ishibras and Verolme were built…

An Indian Master, Capt Sukhvinder Bhamra, was sailing onboard the MSC Vanessa when he received an email from Mr Abdul Gani Serang of the National Union of Seafarers of India (NUSI) on the hardships faced by Mr Aman Sharma, recently released from captivity as part of the MV Albedo crew. The Master and his crew started to collect money amongst the crew members of the ship. When he signed off, Capt Bhamra called Mr Sharma and informed him that he will try to collect about INR100,000 (USD1,650) from his ship's crew and will help him in the coming days. Mr Sharma has since received the first of this support: INR30,000 (USD500). MPHRP would like to sincerely thank Captain Bhamra and his crew for their heartfelt and generous donations.

Three years after its inception, today sees the official launch of an innovative new board game designed to teach young people of all ages about the importance of today’s supply chain in global commerce. The game - Business on the Move - aims to inspire, excite and educate young people from the age of 9 to 19 and beyond. The aim of the game is for players to move different products from China to their U.K. customers by land, sea and air, as quickly, as profitably and as responsibly as they can.

ARI Simulation has delivered a complete suite of integrated offshore simulators to the NUSI Offshore Training Institute (NOTI) in Mumbai, India. The NOTI facility has been created by the National Union of Seafarers of India (NUSI) to support competence development in offshore shipping among its members, promoting best practice as they progress up the chain of command in this vital, fast-growing sector. ARI Simulation was given a brief to achieve several offshore sector firsts for NOTI.

Marintec South America Completes 10 Editions with the Brazilian Shipbuilding and Offshore Industry Pursuing Excellence and Global Competitiveness. Brazilian shipbuilding and offshore industry want to occupy a new space in the naval industry in the world map. The resumption of investment, driven by orders from Petrobras planned by 2020, created a promising scenario for the shipyards and the chain of services and supplies. The goal now is another: Creating a sustainable market in the long term and strengthen the global competitiveness of domestic firms. This is the balance at the tenth Navalshore - Marintec South America - Conference and Exhibition of Shipbuilding and Offshore 2013 event held between August 15-17 at the SulAmerica Exhibition Centre, in Rio de Janeiro (RJ).

Empress Casino, which operates two gaming boats on the Des Plaines River, near Joliet, Ill., has refused to allow its workers to join a union, despite a written statement from the company supporting its employees' right to joina union and an overwhelming majority vote by Empress marine officers in favor of organizing, says a national union. Marine officers employed aboard casino boats Empress I and Empress II, voted to join American Maritime Officers (AMO), a national union representing licensed engine and deck officers in the U.S. merchant marine. According to AMO, Empress Casino refuses to recognize the election and will not negotiate a union contract with the workers…

The Hatsu Ethic, the last in a series of five 6332TEU E-type container vessels for Hatsu Marine Ltd., London, was launched today by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI). delivery in January and will fly the U.K. flag. The vessel was named by Evergreen Group Chairman, Dr. Y. F. Chang. As part of the U.K. drive to attract ships back to the British flag, Pauline Prescott, wife of the Right Honorable John Prescott MP, U.K. Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State, cut the ceremonial rope sending the ship down the slipway and into the water for the first time. Hatsu Marine was established in January, 2002. By the end of this year, it is planned that it will be offering shippers a global container service embracing North America, Asia, and Europe.

According to reports, British maritime union called on Sunday for extra protection for ships traveling off the coast of Somalia in the face of an upsurge of piracy in the region. Two boats full of heavily armed pirates attacked a luxury cruise liner about 160 kilometers off the Somali coast Saturday and tried to get onboard. Andrew Linnington of the National Union of Marine Aviation and Shipping Transport, which represents merchant navy officers, said the union, known as NUMAST, was holding urgent talks with ship owners this week to discuss the problem of piracy off Somalia's coast, a situation he said was close to being out of control.

The New York Times has reported that the cruise industry is calling the violent attack on a cruise ship off the coast of Somalia on Nov. 5 an aberration. Pirates on two boats reportedly fired rocket-propelled grenades at the Seabourn Spirit, a luxury liner carrying 151 passengers, as it rounded the Horn of Africa last Saturday on its way from Alexandria, Egypt, to Mombasa in Kenya. With the Spirit about 100 miles off the coast, the pirates struck at dawn, injuring one crew member but no passengers, and failing to board. The International Maritime Bureau recommends that ships stay at least 150 miles away from Somalia's coast. Though Somalia is not a typical port of call for cruises…

The Transportation Safety Board hopes to have its final report on the sinking of the B.C. Ferries vessel Queen of the North ready by September, the National Union of Public and General Employees reported. Officials with the board are apparently anxious to establish a faster standard for issuing major reports by getting this one out within six months rather than waiting a year or longer to complete its work, as has often happened in the past. The March 22 incident claimed two lives when the ferry sank after ramming rocks at Gill Island in the Queen Charlotte Islands. Ninety-nine passengers, including 42 crew members, escaped, many aided by residents in the nearby coastal community of Hartley Bay. The writing of the report is scheduled to start this week.