crew change crisis

The world’s seafarers’ unions say the world’s biggest brands have no excuse not to audit their supply chains and issue directives to suppliers on crew change, now that a new human rights due diligence toolkit has been launched today.

The ITF has worked with the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) to produce a simple, easy-to-understand guide for seafarers on Covid-19 vaccinations. The independent guide explains the evidence-based risks associated with the major vaccine brands currently in the market.

The guide can be used by affiliated seafaring unions, ITF Inspectors and crew themselves. 

Shipping is concerned that the numbers of seafarers being impacted by the crew change crisis are on the rise due to travel restrictions imposed by governments in response to new variants.

Luis Alberto Veloso is one of four abandoned seafarers on board the Togo-flagged MV Onda who has gone one year without pay. The ship and its crew are abandoned in the port of Douala, Cameroon by Amin Shipping, a company with a history of not paying crew.

The humanitarian effort to feed, repatriate and fight for the seafarers’ outstanding wages has been spearheaded by the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and its inspectors.

A new global pledge signed by over 300 maritime industry and human rights leaders has reset expectations and put accountability on the industry to use their leverage to end the deepening crew change crisis. Signatories include major multinationals BP, Cargill, Rio Tinto and Shell.

• Landmark ruling from the International Labour Organisation (ILO) finds that governments have breached seafarers’ rights and failed to comply with several provisions of the Maritime Labour Convention during the COVID-19 pandemic, including Article I(2) on the duty to cooperate.
• UN agency calls on states to recognize seafarers as key workers “without delay”.