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New reporting system on shore leave to lobby for change
5 May 2006
States that fail to provide seafarers with access to shore leave, ignoring stipulations outlined in a security code that came into force two years ago, will be the target of a new ITF reporting system.
The system, due to be introduced shortly, will involve asking ITF inspectors to record cases of seafarers being denied access to shore leave or prevented from leaving their vessel. This will help develop a comprehensive database of information, building on the ITF’s September 2005 survey report on the impact of tighter security measures outlined in the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code. Some 58 per cent of seafarer union respondents said that shore leave had been denied; particular problems were experienced in US ports. This despite the fact that the ISPS code clearly stipulates that states should pay “due cognisance” to seafarers’ need for shore leave and access to shore-based seafarer welfare facilities, including medical care.
Jon Whitlow, ITF Seafarers’ Section Secretary said: “Improvements in security in the maritime sector must be implemented in a way that safeguards the human rights of seafarers. This includes their ability to secure shore leave. The new reporting system will show us the extent of the problem and help us ensure that the ISPS Code and other security related measures are properly implemented.”
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