- Prior to COVID-19, cargo ships carried approximately 80% of global trade.
- 400,000 seafarers are stranded on their ships beyond the end of their original contracts.
- 55 IMO Member States have recognised seafarers as essential workers.
- COVID-19 cases have been reported among crew onboard.
Devpolicy, in a recent blog report examines the plight of international seafarers who have been caught by COVID-19 travel restrictions and outlines some recent efforts to assist them.
Closures of international borders due to COVID-19 have affected migrant workers globally, both on land and sea.
Role of seafarers on global trade
International seafarers, of which there are around two million working onboard ships, play a critical role in the global economy. Prior to COVID-19, cargo ships carried approximately 80% of global trade. Seafarers are, however, a precarious workforce. They live and work in vulnerable settings while at sea, crisscrossing Exclusive Economic Zones of nation-states and waters that are outside legal zones.
Seafarers are having a tough time
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) estimated that as of December 2020 “400,000 seafarers are stranded on their ships beyond the end of their original contracts and unable to be repatriated, due to COVID-related travel restrictions”. The IMO argues that another 400,000 is stuck at home, unable to join ships. Considering many seafarers are breadwinners for their families, being stranded, whether on a ship or at home, has significant implications for their welfare and livelihoods.
Seafarers essential workers
Seafarers perform a critical role in global supply chains, but few countries have designated them as key workers providing an essential service. As of May 2021, 55 IMO Member States had recognised seafarers as essential workers, out of a total of 174 Members. The IMO, together with the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the International Labour Organization (ILO), is urging all UN Member States to designate seafarers as key workers. This designation is crucial for crew changes and for the continuation of trade between countries.
Attempts to minimise disruptions to global supply
Crew changes, which are an integral part of meeting international maritime regulations for crew health and safety, were suspended in march 2020 to minimise disruptions to global supply chains. Following the IMO’s endorsement of the 12 step protocol for crew changes in May 2020, crew changes recommenced. However, the logistics of the following protocol were challenging, and only 50 countries complied.
Seafarers facing trouble
Under the ILO’s 2006 Maritime Labour convention, the maximum work period for seafarers is 11 months. For some who signed up for short-term 3-4 month contracts, however, the prolonged restrictions, with no possibility for a crew change, have resulted in extended stays onboard of up to 18 months. Working seven days a week, for up to 12 hours a day, crews have become physically and mentally exhausted. In some instances, seafarers have also been prohibited from disembarking. Seafarers’ ongoing containment on ships, which some have termed an unwanted prison sentence, has raised significant concerns over their mental health and wellbeing.
Onboard COVID-19 cases
Early reports said that seafarers are at low risk of contracting COVID-19 have also been challenged. In New Zealand in January 2021, COVID-19 clusters occurred among Russia and Ukranian shipping in managed isolation facilities. More recently, COVID-19 cases have been reported among crew onboard a gas tanker of Vanuatu, with the crew unable to access onshore treatment in Vanuatu, instead of remaining at sea.
Lack of access to medical care
The current plight of seafarers has been deemed a humanitarian crisis, with the IMO, among others, citing concerns over decent and safe working conditions, the lack of access to onshore medical care and repatriations – all of which contribute to seafarers’ sense of vulnerability and abandonment – as an “infringement of human rights”. Workers have been left feeling dehumanised; treated instead as units of disposable labour. As one US Captain, Hedi Marzougui, has argued, “We also have rights as human beings, we have families of our own. We have a life to get back to … We’re not robots, we shouldn’t be seen as second-class citizens.”
Working towards a solution
Seafarers’ pleas have not gone unheard. Throughout the pandemic, international agencies such as the IMO and ILO have made continued efforts to assist them. In June 2020 meetings were initiated between the IMO, ILO, government ministers, shipping companies and worker representatives to tackle the problems facing stranded seafarers, namely to advocate for their classification as essential workers, and for travel exemptions to be granted which would enable them to return home.
Remove crew change obstacles
Months later, in September 2020, the ILO and UN agencies formally requested countries remove obstacles to crew changes. The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on ‘International cooperation to address challenges faced by seafarers as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic to support global supply chains at its 75th Session on 1 December 2020. The resolution encourages governments to immediately implement measures for crew change and allow access to medical care, and it urges the Member States to designate seafarers and other marine personnel as key workers.
Year of action for seafarers
The IMO has nominated 2021 as a “year of action for seafarers” in recognition of the ongoing hardships they face due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. While most countries now permit seafarers to cross international borders the process is hampered by expensive air travel, quarantine and screening requirements, and changing rules due to new waves of COVID-19. As a result, seafarers remain stranded at sea.
Access to COVID-19 vaccinations
The IMO continues to advocate for seafarers’ classification as key workers, arguing this is a critical support measure. Not only will this designation enable seafarers to travel to and from ships, but it will also facilitate priority access to COVID-19 vaccinations, a key step in ensuring workers’ health and safety and aiding their future freedom of movement.
Stranded at sea result in career change
For seafarers themselves, a question remains as to whether their experiences of being stranded at sea during COVID-19 will result in a career change. As seafarer Matt Forster, an English Chief Engineer, explains, “I don’t want to go back if I am going to get stuck again for another six months. And it’s not just me: a lot of other seafarers around the world feel the same way. It’s going to cause people to leave the industry.”
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Source: DevPolicyBlog
