NEWS from THE NORWEGIAN MARITIME UNIONS

Posted on

December 2009 

Confiscated Passports Returned

After “Full City” ran aground in Norway this summer, the passports of two of the Chinese crew were confiscated awaiting the trial which is due to take place in January next year. After several hearings, the Supreme Court finally decided that the passports were to be returned to the seamen and they have now finally been allowed to return home to their families.

 

Charting Shipping Nations

A research institute has received an assignment from the Norwegian Maritime Officers Association (NMOA) and others to chart international regulations and national schemes governing the adjustment of wages and working conditions for seafarers.

“We wish to obtain a survey of customs and practice in comparable shipping countries”,  says Captain Hans Sande in NMOA.

 

Year of the Seafarer

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has declared 2010 as the year of the Seafarer. ITF Maritime Safety Committee has established an ad hoc committee. This committee met in Dania Beach, Florida and recommends to the ITF Seafarer’s Section and the Secretariat:

  1. Enjoin all maritime affiliates to begin January 1, 2010, a year long campaign at the local, national and international level to educate their local public officials, their lawmaking bodies and their public to the integral part Seafarer’s play in world trade, the training and skill required to sail the  ships and the personal dedication required to pursue a career at sea.
  2. Enjoin industry organizations to provide advice and support.
  3. Explore and provide support for effective use of the media to assist the affiliates in their education process.
  4. Provide guidance to the affiliates on best practices to approach officials at the local and national level to achieve maximum effect with key decision makers.
  5. Appoint a project manager with a dedicated budget to further these recommendations.