About The Seafarers Section

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The ITF has been helping seafarers since 1896 and today represents the interests of seafarers worldwide, of whom over 600,000 are members of ITF affiliated unions. The ITF is working to improve conditions for seafarers of all nationalities and to ensure adequate regulation of the shipping industry to protect the interests and rights of the workers. The ITF helps crews regardless of their nationality or the flag of their ship.

The ITF has opposed the system of Flags of Convenience (FOCs) for over 50 years. These flags, including the largest register in the world (Panama) allow shipowners, who have no genuine link to the flag state, to register their ships there in order to avoid the taxation and regulation which their own countries would impose.

As of 1 January 1999, shipowners in countries that are members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) controlled 69% of the world fleet in terms of deadweight tonnage and of this 67% were flagged out to FOCs, a steadily increasing amount.

FOCs have a disproportionately high percentage of casualties and Port State Control detentions with respect to their share of the world fleet. They are mainly registers which exercise little or no control over their owners and who do not adequately exercise their responsibilities as flag states with regard to International Labour Organisation (ILO) or International Maritime Organisation (IMO) conventions and recommendations.

The ITF Seafarers Section provides international coordination for, and support to, affiliated unions and individual seafarers through:

• involvement with the ILO, IMO, OECD and other international agencies
  
• assisting seafarers
  
• the maintenance of a network of over 100 ITF inspectors around the world
  
• ITF agreements for FOC ships which specify minimum conditions of employment for crews, including wages
  
• policy making through committees where affiliated unions are represented
  
• the provision and dissemination of information.

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