After being left adrift, abandoned off the Tunisian coast without wages, food and fuel, 12 seafarers on board the Qaaswa have been sent home after 13 months marooned off the Port of Sfax.
The ITF today called on the Transport Canada to ban foreign-crew from undertaking dangerous lashing work while vessels are underway in the Saint Lawrence river after the death of a seafarer on Sunday, May 19.
The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) have heard claims that seafarers on board Blumenthal’s “LITA” are being forced to collect rain water with tarpaulins for drinking water after the ship ran out of potable water.
Current and former seafarers have detailed exploitative working conditions aboard Blumenthal vessels raising grave concerns about the welfare and rights of seafarers working on their global fleet.
Today global seafarers’ unions expressed concern about the suspected “sabotage” of four commercial ships off the coast of the United Arab Emirates and the rising tensions in the Gulf.
Maritime workers around the globe have rallied in an international show of solidarity for Australian seafarers. The global day of action coordinated by the ITF Cabotage Task Force brought together maritime unions from every continent.
Unions from across Latin America have come together and committed to provide assistance and solidarity to seafarers in distress in Central and South American ports.