Subscribe to our Mailing Lists (It's free!)
Tuesday, July 15, 2025
SAFETY4SEA
  • Home
  • Safety
    • All
    • Accidents
    • Alerts
    • Loss Prevention
    • Maritime Health
    • Regulation
    • Safety
    • Seafarers
    • Security
    lessons learned

    Lessons learned: Don’t guess with chemicals

    Red Sea Houthis

    Ships transiting the Red Sea try to avoid attacks via AIS messages

    ReCAAP ISC

    ReCAAP ISC: Five incidents of armed robbery 8-14 July

    Eternity C

    Rescued crewmembers from Eternity C arrive in Saudi Arabia

  • SEAFiT
    • All
    • Intellectual
    • Mental
    • Physical
    • Social
    • Spiritual
    friendship

    Exploring the human need for friendship: A lifeline at sea and on shore

    neck pain

    Neck pain: A growing health concern for maritime workers

    Book Review: Building leaders the MMMA way

    Book Review: Feel grounded and think positive in 10 simple steps

    time

    Stay SEAFiT: Time is non-renewable – invest it wisely

  • Green
    • All
    • Arctic
    • Ballast
    • Emissions
    • Fuels
    • Green Shipping
    • Pollution
    • Ship Recycling
    • Technology
    tariffs Trump

    GMS: Stock markets go haywire due to tariffs

    Nuclear organization granted NGO status by IMO

    Nuclear organization granted NGO status by IMO

    T&E shore power

    T&E: Only 1 in 5 required OPS connections is currently installed

    ammonia bunkering vessel

    Company orders ammonia bunkering vessel for use in Singapore

  • Smart
    • All
    • Connectivity
    • Cyber Security
    • E-navigation
    • Energy Efficiency
    • Maritime Software
    • Smart
    robots shipyards

    Multi-party effort looks into employing robots in shipyards

    vr training

    Companies team up for virtual reality training to better prepare crew

    digital tools onboard

    Company signs for AI autonomous navigation system for PCTC fleet

    Trafigura, ZeroNorth join forces to advance decarbonization solutions

    Trafigura, ZeroNorth join forces to advance decarbonization solutions

  • Risk
    • All
    • CIC
    • Detentions
    • Fines
    • PSC Focus
    • Vetting
    ClassNK PSC

    ClassNK Annual PSC Report: Fire safety deficiencies top the list

    AMSA fine

    NorthStandard: Tips to avoid pollution fines in Turkey

    OCIMF

    OCIMF Annual Report 2025: SIRE 2.0 a welcome change for the industry

    USCG

    ABS PSC Report Q1 2025: 526 total vessels detained

  • Others
    • All
    • Diversity in shipping
    • Maritime Knowledge
    • Offshore
    • Ports
    • Shipping
    • Sustainability
    • Videos
    T&E shore power

    T&E: Only 1 in 5 required OPS connections is currently installed

    US Sanctions russian oil

    US President Trump threatens sanctions against Russia

    China

    China lays out vision for smarter and greener shipping

    Sanctions Russia

    EU plans to impose new Russian oil price cap

  • Columns
    Career Paths: Syb ten Cate Hoedemaker, Maritime Battery Forum

    Career Paths: Syb ten Cate Hoedemaker, Maritime Battery Forum

    GSR Services: The Hong Kong Convention sets the rules for total ship lifecycle responsibility

    NorthStandard: Data sharing to drive technology and improve crew wellbeing

    GSR Services: The Hong Kong Convention sets the rules for total ship lifecycle responsibility

    GSR Services: The Hong Kong Convention sets the rules for total ship lifecycle responsibility

    Trending Tags

    • Anchor Your Health
    • Book Review
    • Career Paths
    • Human Performance
    • Industry Voices
    • Interviews
    • Maripedia
    • Maritime History
    • Regulatory Update
    • Resilience
    • Seafarers Stories
    • SeaSense
    • Training & Development
    • Wellness Corner
    • Wellness Tips
  • Events
  • Plus
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Safety
    • All
    • Accidents
    • Alerts
    • Loss Prevention
    • Maritime Health
    • Regulation
    • Safety
    • Seafarers
    • Security
    lessons learned

    Lessons learned: Don’t guess with chemicals

    Red Sea Houthis

    Ships transiting the Red Sea try to avoid attacks via AIS messages

    ReCAAP ISC

    ReCAAP ISC: Five incidents of armed robbery 8-14 July

    Eternity C

    Rescued crewmembers from Eternity C arrive in Saudi Arabia

  • SEAFiT
    • All
    • Intellectual
    • Mental
    • Physical
    • Social
    • Spiritual
    friendship

    Exploring the human need for friendship: A lifeline at sea and on shore

    neck pain

    Neck pain: A growing health concern for maritime workers

    Book Review: Building leaders the MMMA way

    Book Review: Feel grounded and think positive in 10 simple steps

    time

    Stay SEAFiT: Time is non-renewable – invest it wisely

  • Green
    • All
    • Arctic
    • Ballast
    • Emissions
    • Fuels
    • Green Shipping
    • Pollution
    • Ship Recycling
    • Technology
    tariffs Trump

    GMS: Stock markets go haywire due to tariffs

    Nuclear organization granted NGO status by IMO

    Nuclear organization granted NGO status by IMO

    T&E shore power

    T&E: Only 1 in 5 required OPS connections is currently installed

    ammonia bunkering vessel

    Company orders ammonia bunkering vessel for use in Singapore

  • Smart
    • All
    • Connectivity
    • Cyber Security
    • E-navigation
    • Energy Efficiency
    • Maritime Software
    • Smart
    robots shipyards

    Multi-party effort looks into employing robots in shipyards

    vr training

    Companies team up for virtual reality training to better prepare crew

    digital tools onboard

    Company signs for AI autonomous navigation system for PCTC fleet

    Trafigura, ZeroNorth join forces to advance decarbonization solutions

    Trafigura, ZeroNorth join forces to advance decarbonization solutions

  • Risk
    • All
    • CIC
    • Detentions
    • Fines
    • PSC Focus
    • Vetting
    ClassNK PSC

    ClassNK Annual PSC Report: Fire safety deficiencies top the list

    AMSA fine

    NorthStandard: Tips to avoid pollution fines in Turkey

    OCIMF

    OCIMF Annual Report 2025: SIRE 2.0 a welcome change for the industry

    USCG

    ABS PSC Report Q1 2025: 526 total vessels detained

  • Others
    • All
    • Diversity in shipping
    • Maritime Knowledge
    • Offshore
    • Ports
    • Shipping
    • Sustainability
    • Videos
    T&E shore power

    T&E: Only 1 in 5 required OPS connections is currently installed

    US Sanctions russian oil

    US President Trump threatens sanctions against Russia

    China

    China lays out vision for smarter and greener shipping

    Sanctions Russia

    EU plans to impose new Russian oil price cap

  • Columns
    Career Paths: Syb ten Cate Hoedemaker, Maritime Battery Forum

    Career Paths: Syb ten Cate Hoedemaker, Maritime Battery Forum

    GSR Services: The Hong Kong Convention sets the rules for total ship lifecycle responsibility

    NorthStandard: Data sharing to drive technology and improve crew wellbeing

    GSR Services: The Hong Kong Convention sets the rules for total ship lifecycle responsibility

    GSR Services: The Hong Kong Convention sets the rules for total ship lifecycle responsibility

    Trending Tags

    • Anchor Your Health
    • Book Review
    • Career Paths
    • Human Performance
    • Industry Voices
    • Interviews
    • Maripedia
    • Maritime History
    • Regulatory Update
    • Resilience
    • Seafarers Stories
    • SeaSense
    • Training & Development
    • Wellness Corner
    • Wellness Tips
  • Events
  • Plus
No Result
View All Result
SAFETY4SEA

ITF recovers multi-million sum of owed wages

by The Editorial Team
September 29, 2023
in Seafarers
ITF recovers multi-million sum of owed wages

Credit: ITF/Burmese seafarers who were left near shipwrecked after a typhoon are pictured on their way home from Hong Kong, after ITF Inspector Jason Lam helped them recover almost $30,000 USD in unpaid wages.

FacebookTwitterEmailLinkedin

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has reported that union ship inspectors recovered over $37 million in unpaid wages owed to seafarers last year.

ITF’s 125 inspectors and coordinators completed 7,265 inspections in 2021 to support thousands of seafarers with wage claims and repatriation cases. Inspectors are trained to look for exploitation, overwork, and signs of forced labor. They cover more than 100 ports across 50 countries and have the right to examine wage accounts, employment contracts, and review recorded hours of work and rest.

It’s not uncommon for crew to be paid the at the wrong rate by a shipowner, or less than the rate set out in the employment agreement covering the ship. Crew can generally work out when they’re being underpaid.

… said Steve Trowsdale, the ITF’s Inspectorate Coordinator.

RelatedNews

Philippines DMW issues call to protect seafarers from warlike areas

Red Sea attacks: Industry calls for the protection of innocent seafarers

According to the Federation, ITF inspectors help seafarers recover what is owed to them by helping them recover what is owed to them. In total, the ITF clawed back USD $37,591,331 in unpaid wages and entitlements from shipowners in 2021.

As the crew change crisis worsened in early 2021, a flood of requests filled the ITF’s inboxes from crew desperate to sign off and get home. Covid-related border restrictions were the underlying reason for the crew change crisis, which impacted an estimated 400,000 seafarers at the worst point of the crisis.

There is evidence that some shipowners were using Covid-19 as an excuse to keep seafarers working beyond their initial contracts and in complete violation of those seafarers’ human and labour rights. Thankfully, our team was wise to what was going on and despite everything we got thousands of seafarers home.

… added Steve Trowsdale

The makeup of seafarers’ wage claims is changing, with a rise in the number of seafarers reporting non-payment of wages for periods of two months or longer, which meets the ILO’s definition of abandonment.

The ITF reported 85 cases of abandonment to the International Labour Organization (ILO) last year, an historic high. In many of those cases, abandoned crew had already been waiting on several weeks’ or months’ of unpaid wages, including those aboard the storm-hit MV Lidia.

ITF inspector based in Hong Kong, Jason Lam, helped eight Burmese seafarers who were crewing the MV Lidia recover almost USD $30,000 in unpaid wages after they ran aground in October 2021. The shipowner refused to pay the two months’ wages he owed them, abandoning them and ruling out any assistance to get them home.

Inspection stats:

  • Total: 7,265 in 2021
  • Requests from crew or individual seafarers: 1,861 in 2021 (25.6% of total)
  • Routine inspections: 2,870 in 2021 (39.5% of total)
  • Breach of contract was the number one failure of ship owners spotted in 2021 — 1,795 cases out of 7,265 inspections. This term includes illegitimate extensions to work periods, unacceptable or unsafe work conditions, and failure to abide by agreed rates of pay.
  • Seafarers’ rights can be found in a range of sources. All seafarers have rights under the International Labour Organization’s Maritime Labour Convention – sometimes called ‘The Seafarers’ Bill of Rights’. But crew will also likely have rights applicable to them under various national laws, flag State regulations and collective bargaining agreements.

To remind, recently the Federation issued Respecting the human rights of seafarers in global supply chains, a guidance to show companies how to respect the human rights of seafarers shipping cargo.

ITF recovers multi-million sum of owed wagesITF recovers multi-million sum of owed wages
ITF recovers multi-million sum of owed wagesITF recovers multi-million sum of owed wages
Tags: ITFseafarer's rightsseafarers welfarewages
Previous Post

Houston Pilots: Vessels must override their power limiter to avoid navigational risks

Next Post

Lessons learned: Crew should be aware of the most efficient fire fighting methods

SUGGESTED FOR YOU

Panama IMO
Seafarers

Panama reaffirms commitment to protection of seafarers’ rights

July 9, 2025
Ras Isa Port
Seafarers

Indian vessels in Ras Isa Port leave after months of detention

July 8, 2025
ITF WOAs
Seafarers

ITF raises alarm over rising dangers to seafarers in conflict zones

July 7, 2025
AMSA
Seafarers

AMSA: Watchkeeping and crewing standards

July 3, 2025
MSC 110
Seafarers

IMO targets fatigue, work and rest hours and harassment at sea

July 2, 2025
GMF launches final Diversity@Sea report on Day of the Seafarer
Diversity in shipping

GMF launches final Diversity@Sea report on Day of the Seafarer

June 25, 2025

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Explore more

No Result
View All Result
MARITIME EVENTS

Explore

  • Safety
  • SEAFiT
  • Green
  • Smart
  • Risk
  • Others
  • SAFETY4SEA Events
  • SAFETY4SEA Plus Subscription

Useful Links

  • About
  • Disclaimer
  • Editorial Policies
  • Advertising
  • Content Marketing
  • Contact

© 2025 SAFETY4SEA

No Result
View All Result
  • Safety
    • Accidents
    • Alerts
    • Loss Prevention
    • Maritime Health
    • Regulation
    • Safety
    • Seafarers
    • Security
  • SEAFiT
    • Intellectual
    • Mental
    • Physical
    • Social
    • Spiritual
  • Green
    • Arctic
    • Ballast
    • Emissions
    • Fuels
    • Green Shipping
    • Pollution
    • Ship Recycling
    • Technology
  • Smart
    • Connectivity
    • Cyber Security
    • E-navigation
    • Energy Efficiency
    • Maritime Software
    • Smart
  • Risk
    • CIC
    • Detentions
    • Fines
    • PSC Case Studies
    • PSC Focus
    • Vetting
  • Others
    • Diversity in shipping
    • Maritime Knowledge
    • Offshore
    • Ports
    • Shipping
    • Sustainability
    • Videos
  • Columns
    • Anchor Your Health
    • Book Review
    • Career Paths
    • Human Performance
    • Industry Voices
    • Interviews
    • Maripedia
    • Maritime History
    • Opinions
    • Regulatory Update
    • Resilience
    • Seafarers Stories
    • SeaSense
    • Tip of the day
    • Training & Development
    • Wellness Corner
    • Wellness Tips
  • SAFETY4SEA Events
  • SAFETY4SEA Plus Subscription

© 2025 SAFETY4SEA

Manage your privacy
We use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. We do this to improve browsing experience and to show (non-) personalized ads. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
Manage options
{title} {title} {title}
No Result
View All Result
  • Safety
    • Accidents
    • Alerts
    • Loss Prevention
    • Maritime Health
    • Regulation
    • Safety
    • Seafarers
    • Security
  • SEAFiT
    • Intellectual
    • Mental
    • Physical
    • Social
    • Spiritual
  • Green
    • Arctic
    • Ballast
    • Emissions
    • Fuels
    • Green Shipping
    • Pollution
    • Ship Recycling
    • Technology
  • Smart
    • Connectivity
    • Cyber Security
    • E-navigation
    • Energy Efficiency
    • Maritime Software
    • Smart
  • Risk
    • CIC
    • Detentions
    • Fines
    • PSC Case Studies
    • PSC Focus
    • Vetting
  • Others
    • Diversity in shipping
    • Maritime Knowledge
    • Offshore
    • Ports
    • Shipping
    • Sustainability
    • Videos
  • Columns
    • Anchor Your Health
    • Book Review
    • Career Paths
    • Human Performance
    • Industry Voices
    • Interviews
    • Maripedia
    • Maritime History
    • Opinions
    • Regulatory Update
    • Resilience
    • Seafarers Stories
    • SeaSense
    • Tip of the day
    • Training & Development
    • Wellness Corner
    • Wellness Tips
  • SAFETY4SEA Events
  • SAFETY4SEA Plus Subscription

© 2025 SAFETY4SEA