Maritime due diligence organisation RightShip announced a new partnership with the Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI), through a charitable donation to its ‘Delivering on Seafarers’ Rights’ project, which aims to address a wide gap in seafarers’ labour and human rights.
Announced in November 2020, the first of its kind project between SSI and the Institute for Human Rights and Business (IHRB) seeks to develop a human rights code of conduct for charterers, and a roadmap for tackling systemic challenges, which create human rights risks for seafarers, particularly amid the 2020/2021 crew change crisis as a result of COVID-19.
The need for such a code of conduct has been obvious for some time, but with more than 300,000 seafarers stranded on vessels, working beyond contracts due to travel restrictions and closed borders, the demand for change is more immediate than ever. RightShip is now among SSI members working to drive sustainable change for the industry’s essential workers.
The group has a shared vision to improve chartering due diligence and raise code of conduct standards for all industry players,
…a statement by the organization reads.
Other organisations engaged in the working group include The China Navigation Company, Forum for the Future, Louis Dreyfus Company, Oldendorff Carriers, Rafto Foundation, South32 and Standard Chartered Bank.
As a member of the Sustainable Shipping Initiative, RightShip aims to contribute thought leadership together with a diverse range of stakeholders, canvass different perspectives, convene debate and feed into the ongoing and wider dialogue on human rights to ensure that we see an end to the unacceptable practices taking place at sea. In addition, as part of a wider approach to sustainability, we seek to find realistic solutions for decarbonisation, zero-emissions shipping and the role of sustainable biofuels in the energy transition. Therefore, we see a natural and ongoing partnership with SSI,
…noted RightShip CEO, Steen Lund.
On his part, Andrew Stephens, Executive Director at SSI, welcomed the donation from RightShip, higlighting the need for the industry to tackle the systemic challenges that have allowed the crew crisis to take place.
In October 2019, the Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI) received the SAFETY4SEA Sustainability Award, for bringing together leading companies in the maritime sector to create a sustainable and successful shipping industry by 2040 addressing shipping industry’s social, environmental and economic impacts.
