Shipping companies prefer fully vaccinated seafarers – ITF union

Shipping companies prefer fully vaccinated seafarers – ITF union
Yashika F. Torib September 1, 2021 https://www.manilatimes.net/2021/09/01/business/maritime/shipping-compan...

The International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) confirmed that several manning companies are indeed only hiring seafarers who are fully vaccinated against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

"We are aware of several companies which are recruiting fully vaccinated seafarers only for upcoming contracts," David Heindel, ITF's Seafarers' Section head said.

Heindel added, however, that these companies are simply passing on the vaccination requirements of the transit countries or port states where the seafarers will join, operate or leave a vessel.

"We also acknowledge that the governments of port states, where ships dock and refresh crew, will continue to block seafarers' rights to crew change as long as this workforce remains largely unvaccinated," Heindel said, thus, urging seafarers to make informed choices and get vaccinated.

A recent survey by the Neptune Declaration Crew Change indicates that only 15.3 percent of the seafaring workforce worldwide is vaccinated, with first-dose and double-vaccination numbers heavily weighted toward global north countries.

"The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) believes the figure is at least 20 percent. ICS is concerned that the gap between rates in the global north and global south remains significant, and we share that concern," Heindel said.

Ship managers identify the Philippines, Myanmar, Indonesia, Venezuela, and Latvia as areas with the largest challenge in securing the supply of vaccines.

"We remain concerned, however, that vaccines are not universally available across the globe, and therefore any requirements for vaccination of seafarers for employment opportunities will be inequitably felt by different groups of seafarers. Seafarers who are willing to be vaccinated in the major seafarer labor providing countries could be blocked from taking up contracts if such requirements for employment are introduced amidst a lack of supply of the vaccine in their home nations," Heindel explained.

He added the important role of seafarer unions, welfare centers, maritime charities, and some port and flag states where visiting seafarers can get vaccinated if vaccines are not available from their home countries.

Condemning violation of seafarer rights

ITF also reported that seafarer's rights continue to be violated whenever they are denied medical care services by port states.

"Seafarers' health is suffering as a result of the current hard-line to shut them out of shoreside hospitals, even as we deliver the goods (including medical supplies) critical to our shared health and economic recovery. At the ITF we know of too many close calls in the last 16 months where seafarers have come dangerously close to dying for a lack of appropriate and timely medical care, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region," Heindel revealed.

"Vaccinated or not, we cannot accept the ongoing denial of seafarers' human and labor rights. Seafarers have kept the world moving during this pandemic. They have surely earned better than that.

"The industry and seafarers need global standards underpinned by reciprocal arrangements that recognize seafarers' vaccination status. When a seafarer chooses to be vaccinated, they need to know that their status is going to be acknowledged by these port states, many of whom are still denying visiting seafarers life-saving medical care and access to crew change. These rights are laid out in the Maritime Labor Convention (MLC) and many countries' national laws," he said.

Heindel furthered that vaccination before the hiring of seafarers has been a requirement by the industry for decades.

"For some time, seafarers have been required by employers to be vaccinated against various non-Covid diseases, such as 'yellow fever. The requirement for vaccination before commencing a contract has reflected both the health risk to seafarers from being infected by particular diseases and the economic risk to employers of an infected crew in charge of their vessel. By and large, seafarers have historically accepted vaccinations against diseases such as yellow fever as part of working in the international shipping, cruise, and bulk cargo industries."

"It is difficult to see how employers requiring vaccination against Covid-19 is exceptional or markedly different from the accepted industry practice of them requiring other vaccinations," he concluded.