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Seafarer shortage on the agenda at round table meeting
6 April 2009
The worldwide shortage of seafarers was one of the key issues discussed at a meeting involving shipping industry bodies and the ITF.
The round table of international shipping associations and the ITF met on 30 March to review developments relating to the “Go to sea” campaign, which aims to help tackle the shortage of seafarers.
At the London headquarters of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the participants endorsed three key objectives of the campaign: to achieve a more favourable public perception of the maritime industry; disseminate greater knowledge among young people of the opportunities available at sea and create a shift in the quality of life at sea. They also expressed concern over the continuing unjustified criminalisation of seafarers and denounced the denial of shore leave. In addition, discussions took place on related issues, such as ensuring that states were encouraged to ratify the consolidated Maritime Labour Convention, adopted by the International Labour Organization in 2006, to ensure its earliest possible implementation.
A debate on the issue of piracy off the coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden also took place during the meeting; participants welcomed efforts by the international community to protect shipping from acts of piracy and armed robbery in the area. They noted recent decreases in the number of successful piracy attacks resulting in hijackings and hostage takings. They also discussed the possibility of submitting papers to the IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee on issues relating to helping to boost the morale of seafarers in the region.
Jon Whitlow, ITF seafarers’ section secretary, said: "Nothing is higher on the seafaring agenda at the moment than issues such as criminalisation, piracy and recruitment. These latest talks gave us the opportunity to work together to tackle them, and to help the breakthrough Maritime Labour Convention on its way to the earliest possible implementation."
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