ITF: World Food Programme chartered ship ‘is substandard’

ITF: World Food Programme chartered ship ‘is substandard’

ITF inspectors have exposed what they believe is a pattern of poor conditions and underpayment on the Sea Master 1, a ship chartered by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and moored in Mombasa, Kenya. They have alerted the WFP.

The case is being treated as urgent by Mombasa-based ITF inspector Betty Makena Mutugi, who is accompanied by Spanish ITF inspector Luz Baz.

Luz Baz reported: “The Panama-flagged Sea Master 1 is working for the World Food Programme in the Indian Ocean and in the very dangerous waters of Somalia. Betty and I inspected the ship on the 18th of October; its Russian crew members had contacted their union, the SUR, asking for ITF help.”

She continued: “There were virtually no provisions on board, no decent drinking water, no air conditioning. What there was was a very unhealthy environment with cockroaches in the galley, the freezer not working and, in general, very bad living conditions. The crew also claimed that they had not been paid since August.”

“We immediately contacted the shipowner Marine Bulk Carriers Nadkodka, Russia, asking them to take action and also to agree to put in place an ITF agreement in order to guarantee minimum standards for the crew on board. Today we received an answer from their partners Reliance Bulk Carriers of Houston, Texas, who refused this suggestion.“

She added: “We consider this an example of the use of a flag of convenience to allow workers to be put through unfair conditions that potentially breach ILO and IMO regulations. The ITF is encouraging the WFP to ensure that its humanitarian aid programmes charter only ships which can meet minimum labour standards.”

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