Pakistani seafarers join South Asian region's protest

Members of Pakistani seafarers and dock-workers unions have joined South Asian region in a week long protest against the continued growth of flags of convenience (FoC) and sub-standard shipping practices.
The protest starting from December 4 to 8, which is co-ordinated by all regional unions and International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF), is a part of an ongoing campaign to highlight the dangers posed by the FoC vessels to the crewmembers that sail on such ships and the ocean the seafarers sail through.
Sources told Business Recorder that the weeklong campaign would seek to continue the relentless drive against FoC shipping, following up from similar protest organised in others regions of the world.
During the campaign, the ITF inspectors and contact persons assisted by the activists and volunteers from seafarers as well as dock workers unions inspect ships visiting ports of respective countries including Pakistan.
The ITF inspectors would also investigates arriving vessels among other things, ship condition, crewmember contracts and on board working and living conditions.
The South Asian action week will also seek to focus attention on attacks on port workers, whose jobs and working conditions are being threatened by privatisation, deregulation and other port reforms.
The FoCs vessels are avoiding labour regulation in the country of ownership, and become a vehicle for paying low wages and forcing long hours of work and unsafe working conditions. Since FoC ships have no real nationality, they are beyond the reach of any single national seafarers' trade union.
In this regard, a political campaign designed to establish by international governmental agreement a genuine link between the flag a ship flies and the nationality or residence of its owners, managers and seafarers, and so eliminate the flag of convenience system entirely, a source said.
He said, an industrial campaign designed to ensure that seafarers who serve on flag of convenience ships, whatever their nationality, are protected from exploitation by shipowners. Countries from the South Asian region participating in the campaign include Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.