A STAIN ON THE GLOBAL MARITIME INDUSTRY: SEAFARERS IN DIRE CONDITIONS ON MIDDLE EAST MARINE VESSELS
ITF NEWS
PRESS RELEASE
02 MAY 2024
In the
worst case of serial seafarer abandonment ever seen, the International
Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) condemns Middle East Marine LLC for its
systematic abuse and neglect of over 100 seafarers.
Today, the ITF is calling on the United Arab Emirates
Government and the Palau maritime authorities to act to end seafarers’
suffering and uphold international maritime and human rights law.
Since November 2022, the ITF has reported over 17
abandonments across 18 vessels in Bangladesh, India, the Maldives and Sri Lanka.
Seafarers from India, Indonesia and Myanmar have been left
in dire conditions including the provision of dirty drinking water, lack of
food, withholding of passports and medication, refusing ill crew hospital
visits, and unpaid wages. Acts considered human and labour rights abuses.
One seafarer, from Indonesia, said: “My salary hasn’t been
paid for more than three months – but there are some crew members unpaid for as
long as seven months. The company did not supply provisions and fresh water –
sometimes we were just fishing for survival. All crew members are getting
depressed, and our families are getting in debt to survive.”
Another seafarer, from India, told the ITF: “My mental
state is not good due to the company treating us like this.”
Under international law – the Maritime Labour Convention,
2006, as amended – seafarers should be paid at least once per month. Crews owed
two months or more of pay or who are not provided with sufficient food, water
and fuel are considered to have been abandoned, which should trigger action by
insurers and the ship’s Flag State – the country where the ship is registered –
in this case Palau.
The ITF has not received a single response from the Palau
maritime authorities despite the urgency of the situation seafarers and their
families are facing.
“Seafarers’ lives are not collateral for any company,” said
Steve Trowsdale, ITF's Inspectorate Coordinator.
“We are extremely concerned about the welfare of the crews
affected by Middle East Marine’s woeful business and the sheer scale of the
abandonments.
“It’s hard to comprehend how a company registered in the
UAE can behave like this with impunity. Middle East Marine is a stain on the
global maritime industry.”
"It's been shocking to see seafarers facing such extreme
exploitation, dangerous working conditions and limited rights. No pay,
inadequate living conditions, lack of legal protections, and restricted freedom
of movement – it's akin to modern-day indentured servitude," said Sandra Bernal, ITF's Network Coordinator
Asia Pacific Region.
END
NOTES
ITF inspector Paul Farzon and Sandra Bernal, Network
Coordinator Asia Pacific Region who are both directly assisting crew
face-to-face are available for interview. Please contact Jessica Summers to
arrange on +44 7702 259 612 or media@itf.org.uk.
About the ITF: The International Transport Workers’
Federation (ITF) is a democratic, affiliate-led federation of transport
workers’ unions recognised as the world’s leading transport authority. We fight
passionately to improve working lives; connecting trade unions and workers’
networks from 147 countries to secure rights, equality and justice for their
members. We are the voice of the almost-20 million women and men who move the
world.
Media contact: Jessica Summers +44 7702 259 612 media@itf.org.uk
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