Greater visibility and recognition needed in support of seafarers

The world’s increased reliance on shipping, coupled with the transmissibility of Covid-19, has had dire consequences for seafarers. It’s time they get recognition and support for essential services they provide now and into the future.

Without connections provided by seafarers, Australia’s economy would suffer.

The important focus of World Maritime Day this year is Seafarers – at the core of shipping’s future, and for good reason.

The world’s increased reliance on shipping, coupled with the transmissibility of Covid-19, has had dire consequences for seafarers. It’s time they get recognition and support for essential services they provide now and into the future.

As an island nation, we rely heavily on shipping for our imports and exports, especially as the emergence of Covid-19 has heightened our awareness of the length of the supply chain that brings us everything from our medicines to our new phones.

Without seafarers bringing ships to our shores and pilots to navigate these vessels safely into port, the overwhelming majority of our supply chains that deliver essential supplies to us and receive our exports could not be accessed. Without the connections provided by the sea our economy could not function.

More than 80 per cent of global trade by volume is moved by maritime transport with over 1½ million seafarers from different countries around the world working onboard merchant ships.

AMSA chief executive Mick Kinley

Conditions for seafarers can be tough at the best of times with long, irregular work hours and extended periods away from family and friends. In extreme cases of neglect seen around the world, seafarers have been stranded on ships for more than two years, in unsafe and deplorable conditions, with unpaid wages. According to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) as of July 2021, about 250,000 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 Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has sent strong messages to those shipping operators that have deliberately violated Maritime Labour Convention requirements for the treatment of seafarers, by banning ships from our ports – effectively giving them the “red card”.

The issues are complex and take time to resolve, as demonstrated by the banning of the vessels Movers 3 and MV Maryam earlier this year. But we will certainly ensure those ships don’t come back to our ports, and we will continue to promote the safety of crew and ships arriving in Australia through port state control inspections.

AMSA follows up on every Maritime Labour Convention complaint we receive and takes a zero-tolerance stance on enforcing the Convention’s requirements on how long seafarers can remain on a ship. When seafarers want to disembark, we step in to facilitate this, taking care to meet the varying restrictions imposed by each state and territory. Seafarers are also entitled under the Maritime Labour Convention to access medical treatment while in our waters and we also work to ensure Australia meets these obligations under the restrictions in place.

Just recently, National Cabinet streamlined Covid-19 measures for land-based freight industry, leaving in place hard border restrictions for seafarers.

With the onset of Covid-19, the Ruby Princess made headlines as a vector for Covid-19 into Australia, as Australian passengers went home. Subsequently, there have been tens of thousands of merchant ship arrivals in Australian ports and the shipping industry has managed Covid-19 to minimise risk to crews and the community.

Yet, crews on ships are being treated as a constant threat, even with no evidence of Covid on board. What little opportunity they previously had to set foot off a ship – which they may have been on for 11 months – has been further limited. Simply getting access to medical treatment or having an urgent medical procedure is a constant challenge.

These seafarers are not allowed to get off ships, unless we arrange for their direct repatriation home. Meanwhile, Australia treats air crew very differently as they are taken from the airport to their comfortable hotels during their time in Australian ports … albeit airports. Why do the crew on ships get treated so poorly by comparison?

Getting through Covid-19 is just one challenge facing seafarers. Queensland has been the standout in Australia in facilitating crew repatriation and their initiative to provide Covid-19 vaccinations to international seafarers arriving in local ports is a positive step towards protecting seafarer health and strengthening our supply chains.

Both now and beyond Covid-19, we need to better value shipping and seafarers. We – the consumers, industry and government – need to be prepared to pay the true cost of shipping, including its impact on the climate, environment and providing seafarers with proper living and working conditions. Seafarers shouldn’t have to rely on the charity of valuable organisations such as Mission to Seafarers – these services should simply be considered essential. So, the next time you get your new TV or any other online purchase delivered during lockdown, spare a positive thought for our seafarers who have brought the item to Australia.

Shipping remains too invisible for Australians and – as we live in an island country – we should be mindful that modern luxuries don’t magically appear on our shores but are delivered across the oceans by hard-working people – the seafarers.

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Mick Kinley is chief executive of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority.