In light of the World Maritime Day, a number of unions called for ships to be detained in ports if seafarers have been onboard longer than international treaties allow.
The Nautilus Federation highlights that
Should that international solution cause Port States to detain growing numbers of vessels until seafarers are repatriated, the industry and governments will need to prepare for the disruption this would cause to global supply chains.
The unions focus on the inability of a number of the world’s largest flags to enforce the fundamental rights of seafarers during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“While many of these Flags of Convenience (FOCs) quickly ratified the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (MLC), the ‘ease and speed by which many flag states subsequently ignored the rights of seafarers is a stain on the entire maritime industry,” the Federation union said.
Concluding, Nautilus urges all Port States to assist the Flag States by enforcing the provisions of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) and detain ships that do not comply.