Three ships idled in Australian ports as over-contract crew seek repatriation

Crews on at least three ships in Australian waters have stopped working their ships following expiration of their contracts. The seafarers are bidding for repatriation as the crew change crisis caused by COVID-19 related travel bans drags on.

Back in June, the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and its affiliated seafarers’ unions said they would assist seafarers with expired contracts to exercise their right to stop working, leave ships, and return home.

Now, the ITF reports that...

https://www.marinelog.com/shipping/three-ships-idled-in-australian-ports-as-over-contract-crew-seek-repatriation/

IMO: Help get seafarers home

International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Kitack Lim is urging member states to join the 13 that last week signed a pledge to help get more than 200,000 seafarers repatriated.

The IMO has said those seafarers have spent months beyond their contracts stuck on ships because of travel restrictions put in place during the coronavirus pandemic. A similar number of seafarers are waiting to board ships and begin work, according to the IMO.

The joint statement issued last week calls for...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/imo-help-get-seafarers-home