19.07.2022

The seafarer applied for SUR for the second time for assistance in repatriation

At the end of June 2022, the 2nd Engineer from the MSC Donata   addressed the Far Eastern Territorial Organization of the Seafarers Union of Russia (FETO SUR). According to him he repeatedly contacted the shipowner in regard with the expiration of the contract and asked for discharging, but the company does not provide him with a replacement.

This is not the first time this seafarer has been in such a situation since the beginning of the pandemic- in August 2020, on board the container ship RDO Fortune, he already had to go through something similar. Despite the fact that by that time many shipowners had already successfully solved the problems with crew change, the four-month contract of the sailor was extended for several months, after which the prospects for repatriation were still vague. The Seafarers Union of Russia, the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) and the Ver.di  helped solve the problem then.

«When the seafarer applied to the SUR this time, the m/v MSC Donata was en route to the port of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands. We immediately informed SUR Deputy Chairman Vadim Ivanov about his problem, agreed with him on the procedure and prepared an appeal to the Italian Seafarers' Union as the vessel was covered by the ITF collective agreement. We also appealed to the ITF inspector in the port of Las Palmas with a request to help the seafarer to be discharged from the ship. After the inspector contacted the company, the shipowner informed the sailor that a replacement would be provided at the next port of call – in Dakar, Senegal».- said Nikolay Sukhanov, Chairman of the FETO SUR.

In confirmation, he was sent plane tickets from this city. Having received them, the seafarer agreed to wait. After unloading the containers, the vessel safely left Las Palmas and proceeded to Senegal. However, before entering the port of Dakar, the company called the sailor and informed him that there would be no discharging due to problems with paperwork with the replacement. The 2nd Engineer was offered to follow the ship to the next port. The sailor informed the SUR  about this situation and the ITF inspector, who also monitored the progress of the case. A message was immediately sent to the company that the responsibility for finding a replacement lies with the shipowner, and the seafarer is currently working illegally in accordance with the MLC, since he does not have a contract and is not actually insured. The company was warned that if a crewmember is not repatriated in Dakar, the trade union will notify the State port Control, the flag state, the International Labor Organization and the Mutual Insurance. The seafarer was advised to stop working upon arrival at the port, since his contract had expired. 

«After receiving this message, the company promised to repatriate the sailor from Dakar. The other day we received a message from the 2nd Engineer that he was picked up by the ship's agent an hour before the departure of the container ship from the port and delivered to the airport. The sailor expressed his deep gratitude to the SUR and the ITF for the assistance provided»,- said Nikolay Sukhanov



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