seafarertimes.com ~ Maritime News for Filipino Seafarers

Over 300,000 OFWs repatriated since start of the COVID-19 pandemic
Cristina Eloisa Baclig - December 14, 2020 https://globalnation.inquirer.net/192685/over-300000-ofws-repatriated-si...

MANILA, Philippines — Over 300,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) have been repatriated since the start of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced.

Sailors’ Society’s unique helpline service provides mental health support to more than 12,000 seafarers
11/12/2020 https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/sailors-societys-unique-helpline-se...

Sailors’ Society, one of the largest seafarer welfare charities in the world, is providing mental health support to more than 12,000 seafarers via its new ‘Ship Connect’ helpline service.

‘Inexperienced foreign’ crew at fault for Australian bunker spill, says union
Rhys Berry 11 December 2020 https://www.bunkerspot.com/asia/52005-asia-pacific-inexperienced-foreign...

Standing up for stranded seafarers on UN Human Rights Day
11/12/2020 https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/standing-up-for-stranded-seafarers-...

Turkish-Owned Cargo Ship Released by Libyans After Paying a Fine
12-11-2020 https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/turkish-owned-cargo-ship-rele...

The Turkish-owned cargo ship detained by the Libyan National Army (LNA) controlled by Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar was released after five days on December 10. It reportedly was permitted to proceed after paying a fine for entering Libyan waters without permission.

Winds of Change Blowing in Japan's Shipping Industry
Dec. 10, 2020

The latest UN Environment Programme report says the shipping sector needs to do more to cut greenhouse gas emissions. As NHK World's Nishikawa Mitsuko reports, some companies in Japan are working on solutions.

more....https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/videos/20201210173447328/

PH seafarers first to be ‘whitelisted’ under ILO convention
Raymond Carl Dela Cruz December 9, 2020 https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1124249

MANILA – The Philippines is now the first country to be officially ‘whitelisted’ under the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) revised Seafarers’ Identity Documents (SID) Convention, 2003 (ILO Convention No. 185) which permits the movement of seafarers all over the world.

False COVID-19 diagnosis forces cruise to return back to port
10/12/20 https://safety4sea.com/false-covid-19-diagnosis-forces-cruise-to-return-...

Following a possibly false COVID-19 diagnosis onboard Royal Caribbean Cruises ship, the vessel was forced to return to port of Singapore.

Namely, Quantum of the Seas was on a a four-day pleasure cruise with approximately 2.000 passengers onboard.

ILO seeks help for seafarers stranded by COVID-19
Matthew Lavietes, Thomson Reuters Foundation Dec 09 2020

Families of stranded seafarers and OFWs troop to the Department of Foreign Affairs in Pasay City on Friday, July 17, 2020, calling for dialogue in person after multiple online requests to the department for the repatriation of their relatives were unheeded. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

Manning agency defends quarantine of seafarers
Raymond Carl Dela Cruz December 10, 2020 https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1124331

MANILA – An official of a manning agency, accused of holding over 400 seafarers in hotels within the city for about two months, said it was merely following government policies introduced during the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.