The ITF (International Transport Workers’ Federation) is calling for the Panamanian and Mexican authorities to reveal the results of their investigations into the death of the young engineering cadet Dayra Wood Pino (age 22) aboard the Panamanian flagged products tanker El Valencia – and to answer questions about:
Fifty contractual workers of a Shipping Company went on hunger strike on Saturday as their long-pending demands have not been met. The workers alleged that the company is not concerned about fulfilling their demands. The company has given the contract of operating tugs to a firm called SVS. Workers from captain to deck crew sat on dharna at the company’s jetty. At present, 10 tugs are being operated at Hazira and all their workers are on strike. The strike brought to a standstill all work at the company’s jetty.
Almost a week ago a crewman onboard bulk carrier MV Sage Sagittarius was reported missing, possibly after a dispute about conditions on the ship. An investigation had been initiated by the Australian Federal Police. Now the police is investigating again a second suspicious death on the coal ship Sage Sagittarius. The police has set up a crime scene at the ship, where it is berthed at the Dyke wharves at Carrington in Newcastle.
The Philippines Supreme Court has ruled that a crewman had no cause of action for total and permanent disability as his complaint was filed before the expiry of the 120 day treatment period envisaged under the standard form POEA employment contract. The court also held that the crewman’s claim for sick wages was deemed abandoned upon the filing of his complaint (CF Sharp Crew Management, Inc., Norwegian Cruise Lines and Norwegian Sun, and/or Arturo Rocha vs. Joel Taok).
International Transport Federation co-ordinator Dean Summers said the Filipino crewman had gone missing from the vessel Sage Sagittarius at the weekend in the Timor Sea. The ship had been scheduled to load in Newcastle next week but was diverted by authorities and was expected to dock today in Port Kembla. The Australian Federal Police said last night they were investigating the case and had been alerted to problems on the ship on Sunday by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority.
Superyachting is not all that glamour that you probably are hoping for. It is hard work, long hours and stressful at times. Just remember, it is not your holiday. You will be working. Most of the people that have the idea of working on a yacht in their head, they think of it as a huge free holiday or a gap year. You must understand that this is not just a holiday job or gap year for students but it is also a real career. Working as superyacht crew offers a well paid job as well as travelling the world. www.SuperyachtCrewGuide.com offers some very useful information on how to start a career as superyacht crew and a summary of them is presented here.
The ILO has received the 30th ratification of the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC, 2006) fulfilling the last condition for the first global standard that spans continents and oceans to go into effect in a year’s time.
“This is great news for the world’s more than 1.2 million seafarers,” said ILO Director General Juan Somavia. “It was a dream of the ILO as early as 1920, and I pay tribute to the international maritime community for having made it a reality.”
Two seamen claim in Federal Court that Somali pirates held them hostage for eight months after their employers sent them into pirate-infested waters without adequate security. Bahri Chirag and Dangwal Sandeep sued Marida Tankers, Heidmar Inc., MT Marida Marguerite Schifffahrts and Ship Owner / Ship Employer on six claims, including negligence, unseaworthiness, and emotional distress.
A recent court ruling in Florida Miami where the maritime law firm Lipcon, Margulies, Alsina & Winkleman, P.A. representing Chief Mate William Skye against Maersk for excessive dangerous working conditions, sets a legal precedent, leaving shipowners to face legal actions from seafarers who believe that working conditions onboard have affected their overall health.
Screenshot from Cardiff University Seafarers’ fatigue film trailer
As you are well aware of IMO has amended the “fitness for duty – hours of rest” requirements to provide watchkeeping officers aboard ships with sufficient rest periods at the Diplomatic Conference to adopt amendments to the STCW Convention, (successfully completed in Manila on 25 June 2010).
Under the Manila Amendments to the STCW Convention, in full implementations since 1.1.2012 all persons who are assigned duty as officer in charge of a watch or as a rating forming part of a watch and those whose duties involve designated safety, prevention of pollution and security duties (including Masters and catering staff NOT affected by previous regulation referring ONLY to those with watch duties) shall be provided with a rest period of not less than:
1.a minimum of 10 hours of rest in any 24-hour period; and
2.77 hours in any 7-day period.
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Officer of the Watch 