ITF highlights plight of Hanjin crew being denied shore leave in US

Seafarers’ labour union the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) said on Wednesday it will report to authorities in Washington D.C. about sailors on Hanjin Shipping vessels being denied shore leave at US ports.

The ITF says that US Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) is refusing to allow crew from ships of the bankrupt South Korean container giant to come ashore for fear that those sailors may not return to their vessels.

It cites the example of this happening with the Hanjin Marine while it was docked at the Port of Seattle on Monday, even though the crew members had valid visas.

Claiming that denying shore leave amounts to a human rights violation, the ITF says it will report the problem to relevant agencies in Washington and to committees on Capitol Hill.

Hanjin Shipping filed for bankruptcy protection in a Seoul court in late August.

And early this month a US bankruptcy judge in Newark, New Jersey granted an order protecting Hanjin vessels and cargo from asset seizure by creditors while they are in US ports.