A new report from the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) paints a disturbing picture of abuses of human rights at sea, and makes a plea for mariners’ and fishers’ rights to be considered at the UN meeting at which it will be distributed on June 12.The report – “Out of Sight, Out of Mind” – warns that as a result of recruiting scams, vessel abandonment and virtual forced labor, some mariners and fishermen are suffering horrific abuse. It is intended to help raise the issue at The United Nations Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on the Law of the Sea (Unicpolos) being conducted in New York from June 12-16 – and beyond.
During the meeting the ITF will lobby for the inclusion of human and labor rights issues in the maritime and fisheries sectors on the agenda for future discussion. The report exposes some of the terrible conditions inflicted on some seafarers and fishers, and highlights systemic failures in the industries’ regulation and practice, according to the federation. “Out of Sight, Out of Mind” may be accessed at the web page listing ITF publications: www.itfglobal.org/infocentre/pubs.cfm
The report notes, “While there is much to celebrate in the maritime industry there is also room for improvement. For, despite the vision of a progressive, responsible industry at the cutting edge of scientific and economic developments and sensitive to twenty-first century environmental concerns, the maritime and fishing industries continue to allow astonishing abuses of human rights of those working in the sector.
“The cases cited can sometimes be attributed to exceptional rogue elements within the industry, but more insidious are the routine exploitations that indicate severe failings in the international regulatory process.”
According to the ITF, the report also notes that “bad though things can be in the maritime transport field they are often worse on fishing vessels, as shown by the huge discrepancies in the take up of regulations applying to the two sectors. For example the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification & Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) has been ratified by 150 states and covers 98.78% of the world fleet. By contrast its fisheries equivalent, STCW-F, has been ratified by five states representing 2.84% of the world fleet and still needs 15 more signatories before it comes into force.”
Similarly, the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) has been ratified by 156 nations, representing 98.79% of the world fleet. Its fisheries equivalent has been signed by only 12 countries, representing only 9.66% of the world fleet.
Among the cases of injustice cited in the report are:
The MT Arabian Victory. Crew stranded in port for 45 days in temperatures of 44 degrees C (111.20 Fahrenheit) without supplies. Denied any assistance, the captain issued a 48-hour distress notice to the owner and sailed for a port of refuge in India. There the owner used his influence to have it turned away and the abandoned crew accused of hijack.
The Capbreton 1. Crew remained on the ship when it was sold by the French owners to a Nigerian company who then asked them to remain on board and maintain it when it was detained for entering Nigerian waters without authorization. After seven months without wages or supplies things actually got worse when they were arrested and accused of having an illegal cargo of oil on board. They spent 21 months in prison in appalling conditions.
The MV Salus. Some of the crew had not been paid for two years and were ordered to stay away from the ITF. They were warned by the managing director that two new arrivals would “cut out their lungs and make them swim in their own blood” if they didn’t cooperate. One crew member was assaulted and stopped from leaving the ship by the two new men, the managing director and his bodyguard. Alerted by the ITF the police arrived and found the man locked up with his face, arms and feet taped up. It took police five minutes to free him, by which time he could barely breathe.
Tasman Spirit. In July 2003 the oil tanker Tasman Spirit ran aground at Karachi. Salvors were called in but were unable to prevent an oil leak. Despite the fact that the ship had been under the control of a port pilot the ship’s master, crew and the salvage tug’s captain were arrested and held as political pawns for nine months. It took an international campaign to have them freed without charge.
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