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ISF seeks action on exploitation of marine workers

THE International Shipping Federation (ISF) has reported a significant rise in the number of complaints received from seafarers concerning exploitation and abuse.

It said a huge advance could be made in alleviating the problem by placing tighter controls on agents responsible for the manning of vessels.

Addressing a conference organised by the International Christian Maritime Association (ICMA), an ISF spokesman said the federation had campaigned for the revision and updating of International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 109 which concerned the recruitment and placement of seafarers.

This revision had now been agreed to, but the necessary amendments would not be completed until 1995, the ISF official was quoted as saying in Mariscene, the newsletter of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and ISF.

ISF said it was developing a code of practice which companies would be encouraged to apply to their manning agents to provide a degree of protection for the seafarer which at present was sometimes found to be lacking.

Meanwhile, ICS said since it launched its environment code at the end of April, it has distributed 5,000 copies of the document worldwide to the shipping community.

The code, which is intended to focus on the need for a steady increase in environmental awareness and protection, also contained information on environmental concerns associated with the prime sources of pollution generated by the industry, it said.

The federation emphasised that shipping, despite the problems which can be created by a major accident, is an environmentally friendly form of transport.

This was the result of constant development of improved industry practices, complemented by enhanced regulatory measures adopted by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), it added.

ICS said whatever improvements had been achieved, enhancement of protection of the marine environment must remain a central objective.

of the industry.

It said it aimed to give the code the widest possible circulation throughout the international shipping community.

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