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London rally vents world anger at Korean jailing of innocent seafarers

14 Janeiro 2009

Employers, trade unionists, and shipping industry representatives will rally outside the South Korean embassy in London on Friday 23 January 2009 to protest against what they describe as the politically and economically motivated imprisonment of two men in South Korea.

The rally will bring together organisations including global union federation the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), shipowners’ and managers’ associations INTERTANKO and Intercargo, the International Maritime Employers’ Committee (IMEC), along with Indian trade unions, as well as leading ship management company V.Ships, which employs the two Indian seafarers now jailed in South Korea on charges of which they were found innocent only 6 months ago.

The event will take place from 14:30 to 15:30 opposite the South Korean Embassy, 60 Buckingham Gate, London, SW1E 6AJ. A letter of protest will be handed in by representatives of the two men.

The ‘Hebei Two’ – Captain Jasprit Chawla, and Chief Officer Syam Chetan – currently face one and a half years and eight months respectively in jail following an oil spillage caused by an out-of-control crane barge hitting their anchored ship, the Hebei Spirit, in December 2007. They have been held in Korea since then for more than 400 days. Although cleared by a Korean court in June 2008 of responsibility for the “collision” and ensuing pollution, they continued to be detained in Korea pending hearing by the Appeal Court which last month declared the two men guilty and sentenced them. They were jailed on 10 December 2008.

A campaign for their release attracted worldwide support, particularly across the shipping industry, which has seen their conviction and imprisonment as being everything to do with assuaging Korean public opinion (the men were paraded outside the court in handcuffs), and with helping the owner of the crane barge, Samsung, to reduce its exposure to paying for clean-up.

A full press release with a definitive list of speakers and groups attending, and more background detail on the case will be released on 22 January 2009.

ENDS

For more details please contact:

ITF
Sam Dawson, Press Officer
+44 20 7940 9260,
dawson_sam@itf.org.uk

V.Ships
Pat Adamson, Chairman, MTI
+44 20 7823 9444
pat.adamson@mtinetwork.com

IMEC
David Dearsley, Secretary General
+44 20 7416 8844
david.dearsley@marisec.org

INTERCARGO
Rob Lomas, Secretary General
+44 20 7977 7036
rob.lomas@intercargo.org

INTERTANKO
Bill Box, Communications and PR Manager
+44 20 7977 7023
bill.box@intertanko.com

IMEC The International Maritime Employers' Committee (IMEC) is an employers’ organisation based in London. IMEC represents over 130 companies located all over the world that operate almost 7,500 ships and employ over 185,000 seafarers of all nationalities. The members are individual shipping companies, both owners and managers, large and small, operating all types of ships.

INTERCARGO (International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners) has, since 1980, represented the interests of owners, operators and managers of dry cargo shipping and works closely with the other international associations to promote a safe, high quality, efficient and profitable industry.

INTERTANKO (International Association of Independent Tanker Owners) has been the voice of the independent tanker owners since 1970, representing today around 80% of the independent tanker fleet. It is a professional, efficient and respected association representing an industry dedicated to delivering a reliable, safe, responsible and competitive service transporting the liquid energy and chemicals that keep the world economy turning.

ITF (International Transport Workers' Federation) represents transport workers around the world and promotes their interests through global campaigning and solidarity. One hundred and eighty six of its 650 member unions represent seafarers.

V SHIPS is the world’s largest ship manager, providing technical and crewing services to more than 1,000 ships from the largest oil tankers and containerships to speciality exploration vessels.

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