Top shipping organisations and unions wrote to US Secretary of State Colin Powell on Thursday urging Washington not to sacrifice the freedoms of more than a million seafarers in its global fight against maritime terrorism.
In the letter, issued to coincide with World Maritime Day, unions, firms and leading trade bodies called on the United States to recognise that tough security measures introduced in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks risked treating seafarers like criminals.
Restrictions on shore leave for crew who had spent months at sea was particularly regrettable, the letter, dated September 30, said. Similar letters were delivered to US embassies across the world.
"The most acute problems have been experienced in the United States, where in addition to the frequent denial of shore leave some companies have even been required to hire armed guards to prevent foreign seafarers from leaving their ships," the letter said.