cabotage

The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) today condemned Shipping Australia Limited (SAL) for consistently opposing the Australian government's plan to establish a strategic fleet of Australian-flagged vessels.

Chris Given, Chair of the ITF's Cabotage Task Force, said SAL's stance is "short-sighted and detrimental to Australia's national interests."

4 December 2023, Santiago – The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), the democratic, global union federation of over 700 transport unions in 150 countries, representing over 18 million transport workers across the globe, will this week hold its Dockers’ and Seafarers’ Conferences in Santiago, Chile.

7 December 2023, Santiago – Delegates from across the world at the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) dockers’ and seafarers’ conferences in Santiago, Chile, joined with Chilean trade unionists to hand in a letter to the presidential palace in the capital of Santiago in protest at the government’s plans to change the law on cabotage.

Governments should learn lessons from the pandemic and its aftermath to secure reliable maritime supply chains for their citizens and the climate, the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has argued in a new report.

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has again congratulated the Australian Labor Party on its win in the country’s election, saying it will be profoundly important for the nation’s seafarers. 

Shipping experts have welcomed a ‘unity ticket’ on Australian jobs and fuel security ahead of the country’s election Saturday. But the ITF and its affiliates warn that rogue lobbyists, Shipping Australia, risk undermining the policy advances on cabotage and have called on its supporters in the industry to abandon it.

United States President Joe Biden’s announcement this week reiterating support for the Jones Act has been applauded by the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) Cab

International maritime unions have urged the Morrison government to reverse the decline of the Australian shipping industry and invest in the creation of a new strategic fleet to aid Australia’s emergency response capacity to natural disasters and move to protect the nation’s economic, environmental, fuel and national security interests.

Protests outside Australian Embassies and Consulates, corporate offices and on the waterfront called for a reinvigoration of Australia’s domestic shipping industry and urged Australian voters to change the government at the upcoming Australia federal election on May 18.

President Given’s visit comes on the heels of Canadian seafarers demonstrating solidarity with their Australian brothers and sisters. In February, over 100 SIU of Canada members rallied outside of the Australian embassies in Ottawa and Toronto, calling on the Australian government to strengthen important cabotage laws which are crucial to protecting jobs.