Following an event on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly (24 September), Captain Hedi Marzougui, who was in command of a vessel between December 2019 and May 2020, urged Governments to immediately act and allow seafarers to come home.
Namely, the virtual meeting was convened by the UN Global Compact, the International Maritime Organization and the International Labour Organization, in collaboration with the International Chamber of Shipping and the International Transport Workers’ Federation.
During the event, it was highlighted that approximately 400.000 seafarers from across the globe are still stranded onboard ships, continuing to work but unable to be relieved, in a deepening crew change crisis which threatens trade and maritime safety.
“Not knowing when or if we will be returning home brings a severe mental toll on my crew and myself. I would encourage each and every one of you to think of how you would feel, if you had to work every day, for 12 hours, with no weekends, without seeing your loved ones, and trapped at sea. Now add that you have to do that with no idea of when you will be repatriated”…Captain Marzougui said.
In light of the crew change matter that has presented, the number of seafarers whose contracts have been extended by several months has continued to increase.
In fact, some crewmembers have now been at sea for 17 months without a break, well beyond the 11-month limit set out in the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC). Besides the 400.000 seafarers stuck at sea, another 400.000 are unable to join ships.
Action is needed – and is needed now. We all depend on seafarers. They should not be the collateral victims in this pandemic. Seafarers deliver for us – and now we need to deliver for them.
..Secretary-General Lim marked.
What is more, UN Secretary-General António Guterres reiterated his concern for seafarers stranded at sea. He renewed his appeal to Governments : “to address their plight by formally designating seafarers and other marine personnel as ‘key workers’, ensuring safe crew changes and implementing the protocols developed by UN agencies, as well as the International Chamber of Shipping and the International Transport Workers’ Federation, allowing stranded seafarers to be repatriated and others to join ships.”
At the same time, both Guy Platten, Secretary-General of the International Chamber of Shipping and Stephen Cotton, General Secretary of the International Transport Workers’ Federation called on governments to intervene to end the crew change crisis, warning the numbers of seafarers impacted would only continue to increase without coordinated action by governments.
Concluding, transport and maritime ministers from Canada, France, Kenya, Panama and the Philippines also addressed the virtual event, as they urged other Governments to join them in designating seafarers as essential workers, implementing measures for safe crew change and facilitating COVID-safe transit for seafarers.