Maritime unions established the BRICS Seafarers' Forum

The First Founding BRICS Seafarers' Forum was held in Salvador, Brazil. Representatives of maritime unions from Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, and Iran took part in this event. The interests of Russian seafarers were represented by Yury Sukhorukov, President of the Seafarers' Union of Russia. 

The participants discussed the global economic situation in merchant shipping and developed and adopted the Salvador Declaration for Decent Work at Sea and in Defense of Peace, establishing the BRICS Seafarers' Forum. Besides, three resolutions were approved: "Protection of National Cabotage and Maritime Sovereignty within the BRICS"; "Joint Defense of Seafarers' Rights Amid Sanctions, Trade Conflicts, and Global Tensions"; and "Identification of Priority Issues Related to Onboard Working Conditions for Collaboration within the Correspondence Working Group". The documents adopted during the Forum form the basis for organizing consistent efforts to defend the national labor rights of seafarers and strengthen their role in the emerging multipolar world.

Salvador Declaration for Decent Work at Sea and in Defense of Peace

Protection of National Cabotage and Maritime Sovereignty within the BRICS

Joint Defense of Seafarers' Rights Amid Sanctions, Trade Conflicts, and Global Tensions

Identification of Priority Issues Related to Onboard Working Conditions for Collaboration within the Correspondence Working Group

For National Fleet and Jobs

One of the topics discussed at the Forum was the protection of cabotage within BRICS countries. In particular, in Russia, the situation is such that an increasing number of foreign vessels with foreign crews get permits for cabotage operations and become involved in cargo shipping along the Northern Sea Route (NSR).

Despite the strategic importance of the NSR for Russia, the lack of preferences for Russian-flagged vessels with domestic crews has led to the dominance of vessels flying flags of convenience. This, in turn, deprives the trade union of the opportunity to effectively protect the rights of seafarers working on these vessels. Furthermore, this contradicts the adopted Northern Sea Route development strategy, according to which the transportation of extracted hydrocarbons should be carried out on vessels of Russian owners, built in Russia, with Russian crews on board.

"Currently, we have limited influence over crew    recruitment and their employment conditions on foreign-flagged vessels. Therefore, we look to the union of  BRICS maritime trade unions with hope, seeing in it the potential to develop new international coordination mechanisms to strengthen the position of national trade unions in defending seafarers' rights to jobs and decent working conditions in cabotage," SUR President Yury Sukhorukov said.

"It is necessary to respect the coastal shipping of each country, giving preference to national vessels and providing jobs to citizens of those countries. Such protection is crucial for ensuring food and essential goods for national populations, without dependence on foreign countries, especially during conflicts," Carlos Müller, President of the CONTTMAF confederation and the SINDMAR maritime officers' union in Brazil, said.

In this regard, the BRICS maritime trade unions have agreed to develop a joint policy aimed at protecting national labor markets and ensuring decent working conditions for seafarers. In the joint resolution "Protection of National Cabotage and Maritime Sovereignty within the BRICS," forum participants emphasized that BRICS countries adopt their own cabotage protection policies, which are binding on other countries, shipowners, and seafarers. Noting the sovereign right of each BRICS member state to engage in cabotage operations with vessels under national ownership, flying the national flag, and crewed by national citizens, the BRICS maritime unions expressed support for the maritime unions of Argentina, whose government has taken measures to deregulate these activities without social dialogue or consideration of the interests of workers in the national maritime industry. 

Other key points of the adopted document included a call for BRICS governments to establish criteria for involvement in maritime shipping in national waters to ensure a genuine link between vessel's flag, ownership and crew; recommendations to governments on enhancing human resources; and the creation of a Correspondence Working Group to develop principles of cabotage and maritime sovereignty, with a view to later establishing a Cabotage Policy of the BRICS Seafarers' Forum. 

Solidarity against sanctions 

The second resolution, "Joint Defense of Seafarers' Rights Amid Sanctions, Trade Conflicts, and Global Tensions" denounces the negative impact of sanctions and conflicts on the safety and rights of seafarers, especially when they restrict crew changes, access to salaries, banking, and visas, in violation of internationally recognized labor and human rights. 

Thus, trade unions called on the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to develop specific measures to protect seafarers, who become hostages of geopolitical conflicts. The resolution emphasizes that such measures must ensure protection of seafarers as civilians in accordance with international law, regardless of the flag or ownership of the vessel.

Maritime trade union leaders also agreed to promote coordinated representation of seafarers' interests at key international bodies, demanding non-discriminatory access of seafarers to social guarantees and repatriation. 

To prompt response to emerging threats, a permanent Crisis Response and Solidarity Mechanism will be established. Its tasks will include monitoring violations, providing emergency legal and humanitarian assistance to seafarers, and coordinating international campaigns in their defense.

Response to Global Challenges

Key priorities for protecting seafarers' rights are outlined in the third resolution, "Identification of Priority Issues Related to Onboard Working Conditions for Collaboration within the Correspondence Working Group." In it, forum participants approved a list of priority issues related to working conditions onboard ships for collaborative work within the newly established Correspondence Working Group. This step is aimed at developing a unified trade union strategy in response to common challenges such as automation, energy transition, and geopolitical instability.

The document emphasizes that the new working group will serve as a platform for continuous collaboration, exchange of successful national experiences, and development of common actions to protect the health, safety, and dignity of seafarers. A key focus of the group's work will be advocating for crews abandoned in foreign ports, specifically enhancing the effectiveness of financial guarantees for seafarers in accordance with the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC 2006) and enforcement of employer responsibility.

The working group will also focus on trade union participation in developing maritime policies to ensure retraining and protection of seafarers' rights during the energy transition process.

BRICS maritime unions will jointly seek to increase minimum manning levels to ensure decent working conditions, including adequate sleeping time, occupational safety, fatigue prevention, and manageable workloads for all crew members. Particular attention will be paid to promoting anti-discrimination policies onboard vessels.

In response to the challenges of automation, it is planned to develop legislative initiatives to safeguard jobs and enforce safety standards onboard autonomous vessels. At the same time, work will be carried out to address structural barriers and create inclusive policies for recruitment and career advancement of women in the maritime industry.

A key priority will be ensuring fair treatment for seafarers during incident investigations, including protection from criminalization. This provides developing mechanisms of legal support to seafarers in cases of accidents, claims, or unlawful actions by port states. 

To better advance the interests of seafarers, close coordination will be developed between BRICS maritime trade unions in international organizations such as the IMO, ILO, and the BRICS global trade union federations. This will enable the development of unified positions and strengthen negotiating power at the global level.

The Salvador Declaration proclaimed a unified position of the BRICS maritime trade unions on a wide range of issues. In the document, trade union leaders outlined key initiatives: to guarantee decent work for seafarers through fair wages, safe working conditions, and social protection guarantees, as well as to defend the maritime sovereignty of BRICS countries and cabotage policies. 

To implement these goals, forum participants approved the foundation of the BRICS Seafarers Forum and agreed the establishment of a Correspondence Working Group to coordinate joint actions and address specific industrial issues.

Separately, maritime trade union leaders from Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, and Iran called for global peace.