Page 12: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (July 2020)

Government Update

Shame on Port States ort states beneft greatly from the ves- length. This harms the seafarers’ physical and mental health sels that call at their ports, loading and and adversely impacts their families back home.

unloading cargoes with great effciency The United States recently issued an onerous set of require- and speed. The items manufactured in ments for repatriation of foreign seafarers on cruise ships

P those states and sold overseas keep many idled in US waters. The process of gaining approval for re- of their citizens gainfully employed. The patriation is complex, paperwork-intensive, and expensive. items imported supply stock for the stores Insofar as I can determine, only a handful of seafarers have of their nation and provide goods for their citizens. The phys- been repatriated through this process. But at least the United ical ports utilized by the vessels are employment magnets, States has done something.

attracting a diverse array of industries. Most other nations have done next to nothing.

Yet, when the COVID-19 pandemic struck, those port states The United Kingdom’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency took swift actions against the very vessels that keep their (MCA) recently detained fve cruise ships idling in its waters economies in operation. They did this, not by preventing the for failure to complete timely inspections and to fully comply vessels from loading and unloading cargoes, but by banning with Maritime Labor Convention requirements. Surveyors crew changes. Thus, their economies have not suffered any also found a number of expired and invalid Seafarers Em- immediate harm. The harm has been suffered by the thou- ployment Agreements, late payment of wages, and seafarers sands of seafarers doomed to sail on voyages of indeterminate who have been on board for over 12 months. The repatriation

Photo Courtesy Robby Norman 12 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • July 2020