The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) informed that it initiated a targeted operation against German shipping company Johann M. K. Blumenthal, claiming that the company has refused to recognise seafarers’ welfare and rights.
The ITF Inspectorate will be inspecting and auditing the Blumenthal fleet in ports around the world. This operation aims to make sure that the company’s crews are paid properly, are adequately fed and that all of their rights are being granted.
Namely, after the detention of the Anna-Elisabeth by Australian authorities and other breaches on vessels in European ports, safeguarding the rights of seafarers working on Blumenthal ships became the ITF Inspectorate’s number one priority.
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In addition, the ITF also invited Blumenthal’s president Matthias-K Reith to work cooperatively with the global union federation to raise standards for workers across its Flag of Convenience (FoC) fleet.
ITF inspector and leader of the operation, Sven Hemme, said:
The sustainability and ethical impact of a company as well as managing risk and living up to corporate responsibility principles matters in today’s world. Responsible businesses are assessing their supply chains and aligning to initiatives like the UN Global Compact to ensure that, at a minimum, their operations meet fundamental responsibilities in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption
Mr. Hemme also added that responsible charterers play a critical and proactive role, selecting ITF certified ships when deciding on which ships to charter. He explained that the unregulated FoC system allows for exploitation and labour abuse of international seafarers, which is a risk that responsible charterers are not willing to take.
For this reason, ITF called Blumenthal to help improve the worlds maritime industry, and to bring all their FoC vessels under ITF Agreements, as well as agree to a transparent compliance process that ensures seafarers’ rights, freedoms and working conditions are protected.
