Global EditionASIA 中文雙語Fran?ais
    Lifestyle
    Home / Lifestyle / People

    Seafarers adrift in currents of virus' shadow

    By KARL WILSON in Sydney | China Daily | Updated: 2021-06-12 09:06
    Share
    Share - WeChat
    Passengers have their hand luggage sanitized before boarding the MSC Grandiosa cruise ship in the city of Civitavecchia, near Rome, on March 31. ANDREW MEDICHINI/ASSOCIATED PRESS

    Increasing depression

    "It's difficult to get accurate statistics because of the global, disjointed nature of the shipping industry, but we're receiving reports of increasing depression, anxiety and a rise in the number of suicides on board," she said.

    Roger Harris, executive director of the International Seafarers' Welfare and Assistance Network, told shipping journal Lloyd's List in a Feb 22 report that the number of reported suicides and instances of seafarers calling the network about suicidal thoughts, had "roughly doubled" from about 12 in a normal year to 25 since March 2020. But because there is no hard data, "no one really knows the extent of the problem".

    Although the figures are constantly changing as restrictions are imposed or lifted in different countries, throughout the pandemic there have been up to 400,000 seafarers stranded aboard ships, many well past the end of their contracts, according to the International Maritime Organization, or IMO, the United Nations agency responsible for regulating shipping.

    According to the IMO, many of these seafarers are working 10 or 12 hours a day, every day, some for as long as 17 months.

    At the same time, a similar number are stuck at home, unable to physically get to a ship to do their jobs.

    Many seafarers are contract workers who only get paid when they are at sea, making this a financially devastating situation for them and causing a dramatic rise in the number of people applying for emergency welfare grants because they're unable to pay their bills.

    Many seafarers have felt let down and forgotten by their governments, and that their sacrifices have been unappreciated by the average consumer.

    Ben Bailey, director of advocacy and regional engagement with the UK-based maritime group Mission to Seafarers said the pandemic had created a major humanitarian crisis for seafarers.

    "While at sea, in spite of the industry's continued efforts, seafarers have had no choice but to work extended contracts due to strict border restrictions across the globe, with some in their eighteenth month at sea," he said.

    "Furthermore, crews have been unable to access shore leave while moored in port and have had minimal contact with their families as a result of the limited facilities on board.

    "Crews have spoken to our teams to express their frustration as well as seek advice and support. For some, the situation has been so intense they have taken their own lives."

    Bailey said that despite talks of repatriation being sped up and that continued calls to designate seafarers as key workers really picked up last year, new coronavirus variants have halted the potential progress which could have been made.

    "Governments need to use their influence to bring an end to the international crisis threatening global shipping and seafarers' health and well-being. They must be given priority access to vaccines to ensure global trade can continue and they must be allowed to go home to their families, as everyone deserves to do," he said.

    "Governments have completely failed seafarers, and in doing so they have put the world's critical supply chains in tremendous danger by placing too much pressure on a tired, fatigued workforce who need to get home and rest," said David Heindel, chair of the International Transport Workers' Federation Seafarers Section.

    "We are calling on governments, particularly those with strong vaccine rollout programs, to be leaders in resolving the crew change crisis," he said.

    Port states can become crew change hubs. They can bring in 'green lanes' to get international seafarers to and from ships in ports, and exempt seafarers from travel, transit and border restrictions, he added.

    Heindel said the situation in India, where the pandemic has killed thousands and shows no sign of slowing down, "is tragic and desperate" for seafarers and their families on shore.

    "But it's also very hard for Indian seafarers still working on ships and unable to get home to comfort their loved ones during this challenging time," he said.

    "Undoubtedly the second wave ravaging India's health system and its people will have a significant impact on the crew change crisis, as one in eight of the world's seafarers are Indian nationals. Right now, they cannot leave or enter their own country.

    "National-level COVID outbreaks like the one in India right now will continue to happen until the whole world has this virus under control, worsening the crew change crisis and risking essential supply chains. No one is safe until we are all safe."

    Baade of Sailors' Society said shipping companies have a responsibility to their employees. The international maritime charity has "worked alongside many companies which are taking this responsibility seriously".

    "Sadly, there are also many companies which aren't as supportive of their crews' welfare and in those cases, seafarers will often turn to us directly through our port chaplains or helplines for practical help or mental support," she said.

    "No matter how good an employer is, some of the conditions seafarers have faced during the pandemic are outside the control of shipping companies-such as national restrictions on movement or access to vaccines for seafarers."

    Heindel said the best way to protect seafarers at home, working on ships, and in ports, is to vaccinate everyone.

    "That's why the network of inspectors and our affiliated unions have been assisting visiting seafarers to receive inoculations in ports all over the world, including in the United States," he said.

    "We want countries that rely on maritime trade, such as the US,Australia, the UK, and China, to become 'vaccination hubs' for visiting seafarers.

    "Let's cooperate globally to get the 2 million international seafarers vaccinated, so that we can all be confident about a return to normal crew changes, shore leave, and safe ships."

    |<< Previous 1 2 3   
    Most Popular
    Top
    BACK TO THE TOP
    English
    Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.
    License for publishing multimedia online 0108263

    Registration Number: 130349
    FOLLOW US
     
    97性无码区免费| 亚洲中文字幕久久精品无码APP | av区无码字幕中文色| 中文字幕一二区| 亚洲国产91精品无码专区| 亚洲精品无码MV在线观看| 精品久久久久久中文字幕| 无码人妻丰满熟妇啪啪| 性无码免费一区二区三区在线| 中文字幕在线免费| 中文字幕乱码免费视频| 久久精品aⅴ无码中文字字幕不卡 久久精品aⅴ无码中文字字幕重口 | 无码夫の前で人妻を侵犯| 亚洲无av在线中文字幕| 午夜无码一区二区三区在线观看| 小SAO货水好多真紧H无码视频| 天堂Aⅴ无码一区二区三区 | 国99精品无码一区二区三区| 亚洲中文字幕不卡无码| 性无码专区一色吊丝中文字幕| 痴汉中文字幕视频一区| 亚洲精品无码久久毛片| 好硬~好爽~别进去~动态图, 69式真人无码视频免 | 中文字幕不卡亚洲| 亚洲日本中文字幕区| 中文字幕亚洲欧美专区| 亚洲av中文无码| 无码色AV一二区在线播放| 97碰碰碰人妻视频无码| V一区无码内射国产| 国产在线观看无码免费视频| 国产亚洲?V无码?V男人的天堂| 国产成A人亚洲精V品无码性色 | 无码成A毛片免费| 无码人妻久久一区二区三区免费丨| 内射人妻少妇无码一本一道| 无码国产精品一区二区免费式影视| 免费无码作爱视频| 亚洲av无码不卡| 日韩免费无码一区二区三区| 久久久久亚洲av无码专区导航 |