The second day of the Week of Actions in Nakhodka

On the second day of the Week of Actions in Nakhodka (27 January 2015) the weather was cold and windy. On Monday, the snow brought down all the coal dust in the coal terminal but on Tuesday, the wind filled the air with that dust.However, the SUR inspection team came here to visit two big vessels staying at the terminal’s berth.

1) m/v “J-Harmony”, flag of Hong Kong, IMO 9515553, dwt 28398 T, was loading coal for Chiba (Japan). Crew of 22, all Chinese. Owner: S.T.LINE S.A.  All crewmembers have proper protective clothing.  There were no claims.  The vessel is covered with a CBA between the HKSU and the Japanese Owner. The Master gets USD6,000, and an AB – USD1096. Food is for USD7 per person per day. There is the Declaration of Compliance to the international labor standards as per the MLC 2006 on board.

All crewmembers are insured against death or serious injure/disease for USD80,000.

We had a discussion on ITF activities and distributed ITF magazines in Chinese. Since the vessel was supposed to stay in Nakhodka for few days, we invited the crewmembers to visit the Seamen’s Club, or call it for arranging a free shuttle bus (both ways).

2) The next visited vessel was the m/v “SUNROAD MITOYA” (flag of Panama, IMO 9592898, DWT 23186 T).

This one was also loading coal for Japan (Hibikinada port).

The crew was of a Japanese Master plus 18 Filipino crewmembers.

According to the Master, the vessel is NOT covered with an ITF CBA.

An AB is paid USD667 while the Master gets USD6000. Food is for USD7 per person per day. We received no claims from the crew. Part of the wages is paid monthly as an advance payment while the rest goes to personal accounts.

We could not find out any details of the crewmembers’ insurances.

There is the Declaration of Compliance to the international labor standards as per the MLC 2006 on board.

In the mess-room we had a discussion on the FOC Campaign and explained that the absence of an ITF CBA is the reason for the low level of the crewmembers’ wages.

Then we held a joint picket at the stern. Also, we promised to do our best to have the vessel covered with an ITF CBA.

Also, the master invited the SUR team for lunch so that to demonstrate the quality of the meals on board.

3) Unfortunately the SUR team could not get on board of the m/v “Ivan Polzunov” (IMO 8002535) which is arrested under the decision of the Nakhodka court for non-payment of wages to the crew (the total amount of the wage arrears is over four million Russian Rubles). Now, the Primorsky Investigation Department for transport of the Russian Federation Investigation Committee with all possible assistance of the SUR Far Eastern Organization continues to examine this case of non-payment.