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Seafarers – scum of the earth

Former Wallem boss Frank Coles writes for Splash today. Exasperated at the treatment of seafarers, he suggests a two-week global strike might be the only way to improve life at sea.

“When you chose going to sea as a career did you know you were becoming the scum of the earth?” This is the question a senior executive of a large shipmanagement company asked me as I was having a drink with him in Hong Kong. My reply was, “No, but in fact in my day we were not as badly treated as seafarers are today.” The further east in the world we have gone to look for cheap labour the worse has become the plight of the seafarer.

We have failed the youth who seek a career at sea, we have failed at human rights and have systematically abused the basic rights of the normal everyday employment of seafarers. This is not a rant, just a direct, plain statement of the facts as I see them.

Sailors cannot go ashore on shore leave, they are not able to go home at the end of contracts, they have poor living conditions and, in some cases, very poor food and not paid. All of this is much worse than five years ago and certainly than 30 years ago. Of course, this is not in every case, but the poor conditions and abuse is much more widespread than we choose to admit or address.

The further east in the world we have gone to look for cheap labour the worse has become the plight of the seafarer


Covid and the endless saga of the way in which seafarers have been treated is therefore no surprise. Much has been written and said by many in the industry, but shouting in the engine room does not reach the bridge. For all the noise the various attempts have failed to achieve a change of course from those in charge on the bridge of the various nations in the world.

We are getting some crew vaccinated, and this is a great thing, but it is not helping with the stranded crews both onboard or ashore seeking a job. It is not changing the many charterers and owners who refuse to change crews on time. The sad truth is that many organisations are going through the motions of seeming to care, but behind the scenes they do little to make a change.

It is clear that that the ITF and IMO are incapable of making those in government provide a cohesive maritime policy on seafarers and repatriation. It is clear that despite the noises most charterers and many owners continue to block crew changes in contract clauses. Corporate social responsibility is practiced with painting lipstick on the proverbial pig.

A hundred years ago when workers’ rights were in their infancy unions formed and became strong and influential. Strikes were common place and eventually those who prospered on the backs of the workers were forced to improve the working conditions of the workers. Crisis situations require drastic action, and the treatment of seafarers in this past 18 months is one of dire abuse of human rights.

It is only when the leadership of those countries around the world who have continued to have their ports work, goods be delivered and economies continue are hurt in the wallet will they maybe listen to the world citizen, the seafarers. Sailors don’t vote in the countries that they visit but they deliver the goods, they deserve a voice and deserve attention. Maybe a global strike of every ship for a couple of weeks is the only way to bring this to the attention of the bridge, because shouting in the engine room of shipping is not getting it done. Brussels, Washington and London amongst others need to start taking the this modern day slavery seriously.

This is written to provoke a response, and it could have been much longer with names and incidents to support the points, but editorial control prevented that. My hope is that someone somewhere will reach into a government that actually cares about seafarers and maritime and find a social conscience to support those who keep world trade turning. Otherwise what will come next?

Comments

  1. Dear Frank,
    I’m with you on this. Shipping, as a working experiment of a ‘perfect market’, has created itself the perfect market crisis. The strides made in improving working and living conditions at sea in the 20th century have all but evaporated in the 21st. Anyone working in the maritime industry today understands the durability of the quasi-military ‘command and control’ model where it is supported by the twin pillars of an asymmetric power relationship between its sources of labour and ineffective regulators in Flag and Class.
    To paraphrase George Bernard Shaw, “The reasonable person adapts himself to the world: the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to themselves. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable person.” Maybe shipping needs a few more unreasonable people.

    1. Well said Stuart Scott. The issue is wll explained by Frank and also he is given way forward to improve the sailors conditions onboard and in general. Many shipping companies are having people from shipping background / old sea farers in lower and middle management to demostrate administration their sincere effort in this direction . But unfortunately majority of such appointtees , lack the awareness of the challenges a sea farer faces , so they have no mitigation plan – their only contribution is to circulars to vessel based on governments directives . Many of such circulars are so contradicting in nature that the implmentation of the same is impossible – no resorce provided and no planning/clarity . Being a very senior sailor myself , belive that these people have no say in the matters involving finances , they are just toothless tigers and therefore the changes are most likely to be brought out by such appontees . Therefore , I agree fully with George Bernard Shaw,s above quote.

  2. The pandemic has affected not just seafarers, but almost all parts of the world. The good part is, that ships are still running, so we still have jobs, so far, unlike the tourism or related industries, like hotel, airlines and so on.

    However, the changes, due to the pandemic, may well usher in the age of autonomous vessels – not just ships, but aircraft and trains, buses and cars on land too.

    What will happen to us, when artificial intelligence and deep learning take away our livelihood?

    Then, the nature of the complaints will change ! People will only remember the good old days, when jobs were plentiful, even though working conditions were challenging…

    1. I am not a seafarer, and it sounds like you are, but should we let fear cripple us and kill our demand for better? COVID-19 is not the real problem, it has exacerbated, and shone light on what already existed. I do research in the area and focus on seafarers welfare an d the shipboard work environment and I know that there are seafarers who have good working conditions or those we can call challenging but they still get their salaries. Should the industry then not care bout the ones who are in bad conditions, who are abandoned, who do not get their salaries, who are stuck in some foreign ports for months waiting on a resolution to their abandonment without an end insight? Those who through no fault of their own are criminalised by a country because the country needs a scapegoat to satisfy the demand for heads to roll when there is an environmental incident? I can see your point, but it seems as if the ‘threat’ of autonomous ships is being used to keep seafarers in line. As I understand it, these will take a while to come fully into the industry in such a way that seafarers will no longer be needed. Also it is perhaps only certain trade and certain routes that can be fully automated. Some different skills will be needed but across the world seafarers will still be in demand for quite a while and may even be in severe shortage until enough are trained to manage these vessels, whether on the ship or ashore, drone-style. Seafarers are humans and they should not let that fear push them to be treated as ‘scums’ and say it is better than not having a job, when you have a job and it does not deliver the benefits. Who wins in that situation?

    2. Wow this response is incredible! Hats off to you. So well written, pragmatic & stoic. Applause

    3. Dear Vikram, We are still a couple of decades away from autonomous vessels (at least). Autonomous sounds like a sexy concept but it is far far away from reality. I have been following autonomous vessel development for a fairly long time and it is still at its infancy. Follow the Gartner curve and you will know, they are not even in the scope of innovation to be covered. AI and Deep Learning are further away from being even a conceptual reality in the industry.
      Unfortunately, what you are talking about is exactly what everyone wants us to believe, i.e. if you complain you will be replaced by machines!!! that is not going to happen anytime soon. It is the seafarer’s fear that everyone is playing with. And quite frankly that MUST STOP!!!!

  3. Frank,
    Served at sea for 30 years, spent the rest of my working life either working for regulatory bodies or as a marine superintendent, trying to improve the lot of the seafarer, but reality is that nothing much has changed in the 50 years + of my involvement with seafarers if anything it has gone backwards, MLC 2006 is rapidly turning into a box ticking exercise with minimums becoming maximums same as everything seafarer related which mentions a minimum. We are still treated as scum by those who employ us, those who need our services and worst of all by the general public who would not be able to buy the latest fashionable gizmo with out us. The recent incident off Sri Lanka proves that with alacrity, if the persons involved with the packing and declarations of the box that went bad had any form of respect for the crew of the ships likely to transport it that would never have happened. All a strike would do would put peoples backs up. What we need is the enforcement of the FAL Convention and the seafarers right to shore leave and transit through a country whilst being repatriated. A change in the ISPS Code so that seafarers are treated equally where ever they go, less of being treated like a leper in some countries I will not mention, and the reinforcement of MLC 2006 so that the lip service presently given to it turns into deeds, I can understand the reluctance with the present pandemic regarding relief of seafarers but there must be a simple solution such as quarantine hotels and transport to and from ships and airports.

    1. Jack,
      Agree wholeheartedly but feel that the ISPS Code does adequately acknowledge the FAL Convention. The Code’s mandatory provisions do require port facilities to facilitate shore leave, crew changes and visits by seafarers’ welfare organisations. Sadly, as you opined, certain contracting governments, long before COVID-19, chose to ignore their undertakings and/or failed to ensure that their officials understood same. The IMO seems powerless to enforce compliance with its various Conventions and Codes. So who can – flag administrations, ICS (Chamber of Shipping or Chartered Shipbrokers), ILO/ITF, IACS, BIMCO, NI, Rightships, ITOPF, OCIMF, CLIA, SIGTTO et al?. In international shipping, when it comes to certifications, there a lot of “He who pays the piper…”

  4. Well, the headline will certainly lead to comments and opinions! I’m not a seafarer but lead a recruitment business that operates in this space and so I try to keep abreast of the industry challenges – especially those that have been increasingly impacted by COVID-19. There are already some interesting comments being posted, but my immediate thoughts would be: ‘Does striking ever work in the long term?’
    Excellent work in keeping the issue on the table Frank and Splash.

      1. my opinion………..it would………but how to coordinate it.

        Who represents them when industry and governments say they will listen. Big unions already bend too much to governments and ship owning bodies.
        Its true, this ‘pandemic’ has only exacerbate the problem. Seafarers already had the chance to walk off vessels during the pandemic when time ran out on their contracts, but we extended it. Should we redress MLC and realise the conditions are way below what a land luber would deemed human

  5. A small world and faint recollections.The rot commenced a few years back when Governments,Class ,Charterers etc all insisted on First Class Ships,with all the bells and whistles to meet the hysteric demands of the time.Unfortunetly it all came at at a price which charterers,shippers etc were not prepared to pay in terms of increased freight rates etc.So what were the owners to do; revaluation of crews on board,change of flags,crews etc and a race to the bottom to ensure a Breakeven or profit made.Victualling arrangements changed from the old practice of ship providoring to a per diem per day administered by the Captain , Owners outsourcing to ship managers etc and the resultant effect of the poor sod at the end of the queue;yes the humble Seafarer trying to make a living .Throw in the mix of the mineral and oil ports where jetties were a long way from town,,container vessels on fixed schedules,port authorities and restrictions on access through the various terminals,MSIC restrictions etc,and wonder why there is a crisis in the industry .For all the hardships of the yonder years when vessels rolled around the Horn (and they tapped the weevils out of their biscuits) at least they had freedom upon their arrival in Port, something sadly lacking today.With today’s record freight rates there is no excuse why the plight of seafarers cannot be improved ,but I sadly doubt it given it will be claimed catchup for the ills of yesterday.

  6. Frank, you’re nailing it: Every nation on earth wants the service of the seafarers – they just don’t want “them”. As long as someone, somewhere keeps allowing crew-changes, nations will hope that vessels deviate to those places and do their crew-change there. Governments, of all stripes, are there to protect their citizens. Even in large crew-nations like the Philippines, India, China, etc., seafarers are a small group with little political power. Local unions fight for their members – generally not the equally unionized members from elsewhere – and they fall short regardless in the battle with Public Health experts advocating the near-complete closure of borders.

    The best way out is vaccines. Inter-Manager are still looking for a government-partner to help them order 1 million vaccines. To my knowledge, not a single nation has stepped forwards. They’re all occupied with protecting their citizens, just not the ones on a ship somewhere else.

    1. Carl good afternoon. Am grateful for having the good fortune to have shipped and worked ashore in shipping. The US is actively offering vaccines (free of charge) in US ports to foreign and US seafarers. Truly a start in the right direction. Until we’re all safe none if us are. Some International US airports are also offering the vaccine for free to visitors. Having worked with abandoned seafarers both within port limits and “outside Port Limits” my take is the Master is critical. Amazing how fast an owner will move when the Master declares the ship abandoned and leads the crew ashore. Or when a responsible port state control authority declares the vessel a hazard to the security of the State, declares the vessel abandoned and auctions the ship on line. Proceeds distributed as per the Port State’s Law. In some States the distribution has crew and government come first then creditors then owners. A Master that takes such action may never ship as master for that firm again; and really who would want to?

  7. Excellent Views by all but then where is the solution… we have had so many webinar and remote engagement but results are still no where in sight … probably as many say “in the pipeline” but unfortunately the pipeline is too long.. at least now the crew in usa port are getting vaccinated which is a good atep in the right direction.

  8. I am a seaman in past and now running a boutique crewing Company.
    What I see now is a simple lack of actions from the Owners side, rather than the governments. It is possible and workable to execute a crew change in many parts of the world and drastically improve the conditions of those who are aboard. Shipowners are unwilling to invest their time and efforts into this. With a proper planning, a bit of efforts and sincere desire, it is possible to make a crew change.

  9. From the logs of Splash247 compulsive reader:
    June 16, 2020
    TITLE: InterManager boss singles out Singapore, Qatar and Dubai for their poor handling of crew changes.

    quote: Confusion and obfuscation reign in the public relations battle for the hearts and minds of seafarers, many of whom are now contemplating going on strike……………..
    ………….Shipping’s trade unions have given the green light for seafarers to go on strike in the last 24 hours as the world failed to resolve the crew change issue.

    end quote.

    Nobody listened then. So what is new in this stale ( 12 months old) idea??
    Suspect, Capt Colin S. , author of academic research on human rights abuse at sea wil have a field day today , not to mention Mikhail V.

  10. The situation for many seafarers hasn’t changed over the past 30 years. When crews of abandoned and stranded Adriatic Tanker vessels were selling blood for money to buy food and others were eating dogs – in the mid 1990’s, not the 1790’s – not many batted an eyelid (see Voyages of Abuse: Seafarers, Human Rights and International Shipping by A. D. Couper and C. J. Walsh). Being treated like scum didn’t go out of fashion only to re-emerge as some sort of Long Covid side effect.

    The ITF has recovered unpaid wages for seafarers to the tune of USD30-40m every year since, and that is only the tip of the iceberg. We can’t get everything and shouldn’t be considered responsible for doing so. And non-payment of owed wages is only one example of the mistreatment of seafarers. The issues that have blighted the lives of so many seafarers and their families over that period were there before the present crisis and will remain if and when Covid ever becomes a thing of the past.

    It is clear that the Shipping Industry is incapable of eradicating the mistreatment of seafarers. Owners, operators, managers, charterers, crew managers, crewing agents, legislators, flag states, port states, etc., etc., will all put the blame on a rogue element amongst them. And carry on regardless. I often tell people that my experience over that period is jaundiced by having to deal with the “scummy end” of the shipping industry, when in fact I deal with the failings of the shipping industry per se.

    I would not argue against the suggested enforcement of the FAL Convention, the modification of ISPS and the reinforcement of MLC 2006. But the current failings regarding all of these regulatory aims is the nub of the problem. They are not and will not be enforced across the board.

    I would agree with the proposition that unions became strong and influential when strikes were common place. But the legal hoops unions have to go through these days – in the UK alone – in order to protect the union itself as well as the individual members, were put in place by anti-union legislators precisely to limit unions’ strength and influence in these situations. When ITF and individual unions suggested at the start of the pandemic that seafarers over contract had the right to stop work – not strike, simply not work as their contract to do so no longer existed – many shipowners/operators/managers were apoplectic with rage at the notion. Why should they be held responsible when it wasn’t their fault, they argued. So why should the most easily exploitable seafarers with little or no social protection built into either their home socio/political environment or their precarious employment, working contract to contract on low wages be used as the tool to take on the Governments that won’t even allow them to step ashore on to their soil? What would ever convince such a seafarer that the employer he or she is being exploited by would not blacklist them for doing so once they could get them off the ship?

    So here’s a novel idea. Why doesn’t “The Shipping Industry” (owners/operators/managers) get together and decide to go “on strike”? They have far more power and influence. Just instruct crews in port not to depart. And those outside to drop the anchor. And those at sea to go slow, where possible. For a week. That would have an impact. That would get the message out to the general populous.

    Sorry? You mean those nice charterers who insist on no crew change clauses would be adversely affected?

    Sorry? You mean the ports that refuse to allow seafarers to leave their ship to go home would be irate?

    Sorry? You mean all those customers for all those desired goods and needed produce brought to them by seafarers would be angry?

    Sorry? The owners/operators/managers would lose money…?

    Well, it was just a thought. Didn’t think so though.

    1. Agree 100%. All is, was and will be about money, and because of this nothing will be changing in seafaring people lives, whatever good thoughts, wishes and topics expressed and published.

    2. The best reply of all. Seafarers have been treated like scum all along and asking them to strike just reinforces this. Asking seafarers to strike is like shooting a gun from their shoulders.

      1. Well said .. why don’t we put the onus on the CEO of these big ship managers themselves to pick the phone up and call the owners and charterers and tell them stop or divert for a crew change

        Then we can see what happens ?
        Then we see

  11. Much as the proposition for a two week strike goes against the principles of many, including myself, the entire lack of support for seafarers commands an action that will suitably deliver recognition and support that has been lacking throughout the pandemic. Most ridiculous, Chinese seafarers are not permitted by the Authorities to be relieved at certain Chinese ports, even with with no Covid symptoms – disgraceful and to the extreme when one considers the weighted potential origin of the pandemic itself and its subsequent proliferation, it would be fair to presume a prevalent doffed cap attitude assisting seafarers, especially their own!

  12. It is very encouraging to find one of my heroes, George Bernard Shaw, raising the tone of this debate. Since he was a Fabian Socialist he would have given the current crop of maritime employers short shrift. Anyone who has spent any time at all in this or any other industry quickly learns the rules, and the power distribution. Mr Cole knows full well that it is all about profit converted into shareholder’s dividends for the real employers, wealthy people and other corporations. And the CEO is himself under pressure from the Board of Directors, and they from the shareholders.
    The shipowner is always looking for that cheapest, but still effective crew to keep down his costs. I have witnessed crew-of-convenience-hopping in one contract period of my own on board an f.o.c. ship. Hopeful sailors of every nationality tramping up the gangway in hope of stable employment, only to be discarded later. My memory and experience tell me that Wallem’s weren’t the worst of the crop by any means. But then there are a few shreds of the old NW Europe management ethos still lingering. By contrast, what is happening in SE Asia is abominable.

    I recall when NW European flag owners, who’d had to deal with unions for decades, suddenly discovered the trick of flagging out, crews of convenience, and every other ruse to escape any form of public control over their enterprise. Suddenly the NW European flag fleets were gutted, and either scrapped or flagged and crewed out. On one ship l was one of 14 different nationalities, and even they were changed periodically as the voyages progressed.

    For example, l joined an Israeli-owned bulk carrier in 1972 for a wage of $1200 a month. I relieved a German who was being paid $1600 a month. 9 months later l was relieved by a Turk getting $850 a month. So the shipowner had halved his crewing cost for 2/0 by 50%. A crewing agent’s dream.
    The real experts in crew exploitation are the cruise ships. They really know how to abuse crews, running them ragged and trapping them at every turn. Of course Mr Cole was quite innocent of this, one of the core practices in international shipping today! Pull the other leg! It’s got bells on!

    I wouldn’t mind if Mr Cole had had an experience akin to St Paul’s on the road to Damascus. But this is no Mea Culpa here. To escape this Wallem’s would have had to be employing NW European crews top to bottom up until now. I was writing about this 38 years ago and l’ll be writing the same thing decades from now. Shipping is THE most resistant industry to change in the world, due to it’s multinational character and many hiding places.
    So enough of all this huffing and puffing about human rights at sea. Nothing will change until shipping is brought under international government control, there will be only one flag, one scale of wages applying to everyone, and tight supervision of conditions on board.
    To refer back to my hero, GBS. He said “Some people see things as they are, and ask “why”? I see things as they could be, and ask “why not”?(Which l think he stole from George’s Santayana)

    1. It is Coles…. Frank Coles LLM 😉

      Seriously though, me thinks we are largely on the same side, and I know full well the tribulations of FoC having also sailed for many years as the rights and wages were worn away. I am not sure the referral to Wallem is but it is not relevant here. Not only am I no longer at Wallem, but in my experience all ship managers do the best they can with the tools and support they can harness from the owners. Owners who are largely at the mercy of the charterers who do not pay for quality but demand cheap….

      I am not huffing and puffing nor are you the sage, we are all looking for a way to get to those who can make difference because it is not coming from the industry.

  13. The problem is clear to all, the solution possibly not.

    The seafarers job is what it has always been, that is to carry cargoes safely from A to B.

    What has changed?

    We now have a parallel parasitic industry whose job is to see that the seafarer is doing his job. This includes the PSC, Vetting Inspecors, Superintendents, Marine Superintendents, HSEQ managers, Flag State Inspectors, Insurance Inspectors, Terminal Inspector…… and the list goes on.

    I’ve been in command for over 26 years, and at sea for over 40 years. I remember a time when we used to look forward to ports, I think that was 20 years back.

    The future regrettably is Autonomous ships, and sadly our profession will slowly die out.

    As a Sailing Captain, my only joy at that time will be that the Parallel Parasitic Industry shall probably die even earlier.

  14. Why not stop and drift all ships at sea for 14 days, wp. Ships that are in Port will not work cargoes and ships at anchor waiting berths will not lift anchors and proceed to berth. Let the world trade by sea and rivers should come to a stand still. For that all shipping industry stakeholders must reach this decision unanimously.

  15. Not surprised , that those who orchestrated migration of their national fleets to FOC, who arranged misery and anguish of their own seafaring countrymen, who exploited others unscrupulously and without remorse , who converted foreign shipmasters into obedient fetch dogs and crews into scum of the earth , are now dressing up and posing as Mother Theresas and Martin Luther Kings of seafaring downtrodden clan.

    Have always got this funny gut feeling, that shipping barons are politician’s twin brothers.

    So my brothers and sisters :

    “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”
    and conversion on Damascus road was and is a relegious myth.

    Greed is good- said who??? Gordon Gekko , it was and it will be.

  16. There can be nothing more impossible and futile to organize than a global general strike by the world’s seafarers. It was difficult enough when the unionized seamen of Britain and Canada organized strikes with powerful trade unions behind them. Both strikes were eventually defeated, in Canada the CSU was replaced by SIU thugs brought In with the mobster boss Hal Banks. Both strikes were quoted as the cause for the flagging out that followed, as owners escaped to the flags of conveniences popular at the time. Just think about it. How would you even know how to get in touch with all 35,000 or so ships over 500 gross tons existing in the world today. It’s even worse now that the Radio Operators are gone. They at least served the earlier strikes by passing covert messages. One of the reasons the f.o.c’s exist is to allow their owners to avoid the formation of maritime trade unions on their ships. And they have of course been successful. Some “yellow-dog” fake ‘unions’ are set up by crew-supplying states to impress the owners, who can then assert to the ITF that their crews are covered by a union agreement. There is nothing slimier nor more shifty than a shipowner trying to evade responsibility for his crews.
    Can we now have a moratorium on retired ship managers, owners, and academics setting out to pontificate on and protect the rights of seafarers? The former have no credibility, the latter know nothing and must go on a steep learning curve, which is irritating to most seamen. No, you must go to the horses mouth, the serving seafarer, for insight as to how he might be best represented.

    1. Hello? Is it still 1972? Would it be better if I sent you a telegram?

      You do know there’s seafarers on ships right now reading your comments above and chortling to them themselves, don’t you?

  17. Served for the last 42 years with 25 of them in command.
    1) The IMO are a disgrace – just try asking them how many “real” seafarers provide input to their msc meetings “real” being defined as anyone who has served at sea or in pilotage in the last 10 years.
    2) Class are a disgrace – no longer do I respect the class surveyor. The good owner is the only one who ensures a ship is built, maintained and operated properly.
    3) Port and Flag state control are laughable with a few brilliant exceptions – I applaude the German and Dutch water police who come on board and check IMDG compliance and actually fine people.
    Otherwise it is just checklist crap – no need to repeat any experiences here we all have the same stories to tell.
    4) ISPS and ISM? More checklist crap.

    So what is the answer?
    The IMO should have a minimum 25% real seafarer participation and must be entirely transparent with all meetings available on Internet viewing.
    PSC and Flag state should be populated with at least 25% real seafarers.
    Class must get back to their roots particularly regarding safety and construction and stop the race to employ cheapest inspectors I.E uni grads who have not seen a real ship.
    Bad owners have to be identified and hounded out – AMSA have some good ideas on this.
    Finally the conventions – there is no point making new ones when the old ones are flaunted – the covid is a classic example – crew now serving 18months on board.

  18. Dear all,

    I completely agree.

    We Seafarer feel like the scum of the earth ?
    Nobody sees no body cares.

    I am a victim of this crisi as well. Unable to leave the country even after finished 14 days Quarantine.

    Very poor right we have and ridiculous rules.

  19. From someone who has worked on ships for almost two decades now. I agree with what Mr. Coles. And it’s not only about shore leave and abandonment. The current workload onboard has drastically changed since i started my seafaring career. Most shipmanagement companies now are bannering ‘minimum manning level’. I mean, most megaships now are being run by 30 or less crew members. And companies expects that the ships are still well maintained and inspection ready all the time. Rest hours? IMO, it’s a joke. Most rest hour declaration now are not the actual truth. If you actually declare your actual working hour. Expect a nice memo from superintendents asking to explain why. And some kind reminder about the MLC and ILO convention.
    One of my biggest question now is.
    What’s being done to address the actual concerns of those who are still working onboard ships?
    With the advancement of human technology, shipmanagement could’ve at least provided good welfare service like good and reliable internet connection, entertainment and such to ease the pressure on those who work onboard.

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