seafarertimes.com ~ Maritime News for Filipino Seafarers

Japan halts search for crew of capsized freighter, several Filipino seamen still missing
Sep 10 2020 https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/10/20/japan-halts-search-for-crew-of-ca...

MANILA - Japanese authorities have halted their full-time search operations for missing crew of a cargo ship that sank in a typhoon in the East China Sea last week, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Thursday.

Many furloughed Pinoy cruise ship workers seen idle till 2021
Recto Mercene September 7, 2020 https://businessmirror.com.ph/2020/09/07/many-furloughed-pinoy-cruise-sh...

MAJORITY of the furloughed Filipino cruise ship mariners are expected to remain jobless until the end of 2020 going into March of 2021 as major cruise lines operators have cancelled their scheduled operations this year, although some of the ships will start only by March 2021.

Trapped by Pandemic, Ships’ Crews Fight Exhaustion and Despair
Aurora Almendral Sept. 9, 2020 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/09/business/coronavirus-sailors-cargo-sh...

Poor seamanship cited in Wakashio investigations
Sam Chambers September 9, 2020 https://splash247.com/poor-seamanship-cited-in-wakashio-investigations/

Goverment readies aid for shipyards
Genivi Factao September 9, 2020 https://www.manilatimes.net/2020/09/09/business/maritime-business/goverm...

The country’s shipyard industry was assured of an economic stimulus package that would help them recover from losses incurred due to the pandemic, according to the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina).

MARINA requires PH-registered ships to establish sewage treatment plant
Betheena Kae Unite September 8, 2020 https://mb.com.ph/2020/09/08/marina-requires-ph-registered-ships-to-esta...

The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) has required Philippine-registered ships to establish a sewage treatment plant (STP) and holding tank in a bid to reduce marine pollution.

Philippine fishermen stranded at sea by pandemic: ‘We think about jumping overboard’
ANA P. SANTOS Sep. 8, 2020 https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-09-08/philippine-fisherm...

Anthony Medina’s daughter was 5 months old when he left the Philippines and set sail for the Indian Ocean in December 2018 on an odyssey where his livelihood collided with a pandemic that has kept him adrift at sea and exiled from home.

Japanese authorities find empty lifeboat in search for missing Gulf Livestock 1 crew
Jake Sturmer and Yumi Asada 7 Sept 2020 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-09-08/empty-lifeboat-found-in-search-fo...

Japanese authorities searching for 40 missing crew members from a live export ship believed to have sunk off the country's south-west have found an empty lifeboat.

However, the Coast Guard said it found no indication anyone had been on board.

No easy way home for seafarers delivering goods to Canadian ports during pandemic
Morgan Lowrie Sep. 6, 2020 https://www.sylvanlakenews.com/news/no-easy-way-home-for-seafarers-deliv...

Robberies on the rise in the Philippines
Sam Chambers September 7, 2020 https://splash247.com/robberies-on-the-rise-in-the-philippines/

With more ships calling the Philippines this year to carry out crew changes there has been a concurrent rise in robberies onboard ships.

The Singapore Navy’s Information Fusion Centre has highlighted a significant growth this year in what is describes as opportunistic robberies at the Philippine capital, Manila, as well as in Batangas to the south.