ITF: World Food Programme chartered ship ‘is substandard’

News Release International Transport Federation (ITF) October 31, 2011

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ITF inspectors have exposed what they believe is a pattern of poor
conditions and underpayment on the Sea Master 1, a ship chartered by the United
Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and moored in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns
= "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City
w:st="on">Mombasa</st1:City>, <st1:country-region
w:st="on">Kenya</st1:country-region></st1:place>. They have alerted the
WFP.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"
/><o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
The
case is being treated as urgent by Mombasa-based ITF inspector Betty Makena
Mutugi, who is accompanied by Spanish ITF inspector <st1:PersonName
w:st="on">Luz Baz</st1:PersonName>.<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
<st1:PersonName w:st="on">Luz
Baz</st1:PersonName>
reported: “The <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Panama-flagged</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">Sea</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> Master 1 is working for the World Food
Programme in the <st1:place w:st="on">Indian Ocean</st1:place> and in the very
dangerous waters of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Somalia</st1:place></st1:country-region>. Betty and I inspected the
ship on the 18th of October; its Russian crew members had contacted their union,
the <st1:stockticker w:st="on">SUR</st1:stockticker>, asking for ITF
help.”<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
She
continued: “There were virtually no provisions on board, no decent drinking
water, no air conditioning. What there was was a very unhealthy environment with
cockroaches in the galley, the freezer not working and, in general, very bad
living conditions. The crew also claimed that they had not been paid since
August.”<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
“We
immediately contacted the shipowner Marine Bulk Carriers Nadkodka,
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Russia</st1:place></st1:country-region>, asking them to take action
and also to agree to put in place an ITF agreement in order to guarantee minimum
standards for the crew on board. Today we received an answer from their partners
Reliance Bulk Carriers of Houston, Texas, who refused this
suggestion.“<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
She
added: “We consider this an example of the use of a flag of convenience to allow
workers to be put through unfair conditions that potentially breach ILO and
<st1:stockticker w:st="on">IMO</st1:stockticker> regulations. The ITF is
encouraging the WFP to ensure that its humanitarian aid programmes charter only
ships which can meet minimum labour standards.”<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
The
ITF has notified Mombasa Port State Control of its concerns that the Sea Master
1 is, in its current state, a substandard vessel. <st1:stockticker
w:st="on">PSC</st1:stockticker> intends to inspect the ship. The Panama Maritime
Authority has also been alerted, but so far has not
answered.<o:p></o:p></DIV></BODY></HTML>