June 25 is celebrated as the Day Of The Seafarer in recognition of the immense contribution of seafarers to global trade and economy.
The Day of the Seafarer was established by a resolution adopted at the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watch-keeping for Seafarers (STCW), 1978, held in Manila, Philippines, in June 2010, which also adopted major revisions to the STCW Convention and Code.
This occasion was first commemorated on June 25, 2011, and is since included in the annual list of United Nations Observances.
Seafarers’ contribution to world trade has been immense. It may be noted that even during the peak of the pandemic seafarers continued to move ships and cargo against all odds, ensuring continuity of international trade by sea which amounts to almost 80-90% of world trade. As the CEO of one of the world’s leading ship management companies rightly put it in perspective….No shipping, No shopping. The day of the seafarer provides an opportunity to the stakeholders to highlight to the public, various issues facing the modern-day seafarer. But, most importantly, it is an occasion for everyone to thank our seafarers.
The 2021 Day of the Seafarer campaign is based on the theme “Fair future for seafarers’’, and rightly so. This campaign will focus on issues such as fair treatment of seafarers, fair working conditions (in line with ILO’s Maritime Labour Convention), fair training, fair safety, etc. In the run-up to this occasion, IMO is holding an online poll for seafarers with questions related to this theme.
Nearly 50% of responses have identified ‘’working conditions’’ as the area that most needs improvement to ensure a fair future for seafarers.
To a question ‘Who should be responsible for a fair future for seafarers?’ over 30% of respondents have stated this as a ‘’shared responsibility’’.
Over 40% have chosen ‘guaranteed access to repatriation and crew change’ as the most important for them as a seafarer, in light of the Covid impact on seafaring.
Over 70% feel that the pandemic has changed the future of seafaring ‘for the worse’.
The majority of the poll respondents have expressed mixed views (yes and no) to the question of whether they feel adequately trained to tackle the challenges in shipping in future.
All of the above more than sums up the present anxiety among seafarers about the future of their seafaring jobs.
Seafarers are faced with several issues which may be broadly categorized under trade, regulations and welfare. The pandemic related issues have added another dimension - the impact of international governance affecting seafarers travel and crew change.
Piracy and armed robberies on the high seas have haunted ships and seafarers for ages.
Among other things, the seafaring job has always been physically highly demanding.
Many ship owners prefer to register their vessels under the flag of convenience. A flag of convenience ship flies the flag of a country other than the country of ownership. This practice generally helps ship owners evade the rules and regulations of their home country. This is done to take advantage of minimal regulation, cheap registration fees, low or no taxes, freedom to employ cheap labour from the global labour market. However, this directly impacts the seafarers who have to work on such vessels, sometimes under sub-standard working conditions, lesser pay scales and violation of other rights of seafarers as mandated by international maritime legislation.
Abandonment of seafarers by some ship owners is another grave issue. The criminalization of seafarers is an issue that keeps surfacing regularly.
The Covid protocol enforced by most countries following the pandemic of last year hit the seafarers hard. The difficulty of getting repatriated in times of an unfortunate family calamity while onboard has been bothering seafarers.
The joining and sign-off process has become tedious due to multiple testing requirements for Covid and long quarantine stay in hotels without pay. Shipping companies have amended terms of employment reducing certain wage allowances. Due to the discontinuation of classes in maritime training institutes and change-over to online mode of training, obtaining seafarers’ certification has become an extremely tedious process, sometimes confusing too. These issues have resulted in many seafarers now quitting their sea career early.
Yes, after all, seafarers do deserve a fair future! The first step towards this is to designate them as key workers. Nations should facilitate quick vaccination of seafarers to safeguard them. Given the restricted working of most consulates, visa requirements for seafarers should be eased off to ensure crew changes take place with minimal hindrances. Shipowners and shipping companies should continue to take care of the welfare of their seafarers. Notwithstanding the additional manning costs incurred due to compliance with Covid protocols, the wages of seafarers should not be negatively impacted. Let them have one good reason to look up and cheer in these troubled times. Let us commemorate the Day Of the Seafarer in good spirit.
(The writer is Master Mariner from Navelim)
