THE CHALLENGES AND IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON SEAFARER’S RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS
10.33815/2313-4763.2021.2.25.006-017
Abstract
This article discusses the importance of protection seafarer’s rights and freedoms and enforcement of international protocols, which designates seafarers as key worker and learns challenges and experience from the Covid-19 as an important driver for improving international legal instruments. Therefore, it has a crucial importance to focus on seafarers’ rights and develop tools, effective, goal-oriented due diligent action plans and mechanism, raise of the global awareness of human rights abuses at sea and deliver the positive changes through the legal and policy development, exchange of views and the best practices for protection seafarer’s rights despite of the Covid-19 situations.
For these purposes, the presented article researches a new emerging challenge of global maritime society such as protection, preservation and enforcement of seafarers’ rights at sea during Covid-19. In this relation, this article discusses the relevant international legal instruments, such as UNCLOS, 1982, MLC, 2006 and Human Rights Law as well. The present paper also describes the response of the maritime industry to the impact of COVID-19. Lastly, article comes with the conclusion and recommendation.
References
1. We would like to express our gratitude to Mirian Da Graca Camilo Mendes (Agreements Unit section at International Transport Worker’s Federation, London) for empowering and providing her support during the course of working on this paper.
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21. The COVID-19 related guidelines for ensuring a safe shipboard interface between ship and shore-based personnel were proposed based on consultation and active engagement of international organizations such as IMO: ICS, IAPH, BIMCO, IACS, IFSMA, IMPA, INTERTANKO, P&I Clubs, CLIA, INTERCARGO, Inter Manager, IPTA, FONASBA, WSC, International Maritime Employers’ Council (IMEC) and the International Support Vessel Owners Association (ISOA).
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23. The Neptune Declaration on Seafarer Wellbeing and Crew Change, available https://tft.unctad.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/The-Neptune-Declaration-on-Seafarer-Wellbe ing-and-Crew-Change.pdf;https://www.globalmaritimeforum.org/content/2021/11/Neptune-Dec laration-Crew-Change-Indicator-November-2021.pdf; the best practice https://www. Globa lma ritimeforum.org/content/2021/05/The-Neptune-Declaration-Best-Practices-for-Chartere rs. pdf.
24. Information notes on maritime labour issues and coronavirus (COVID-19) Revised version 3.0, available at: https://www.ilo.org/global/standards/maritime-labour-convention/ WCMS_741024/lang--en/index.htm.
25. International Medical Guide for Ships, available at: http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/43814/9789240682313_eng.pdf;jsessionid=9730A9B7BA7A7D1B6EA30CA8A2AA0E29?sequence=1.
26. Guidance on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), available https://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/healthcare-us/ppe/guidance.html.
27. Circular No. 18/CIRC/STCW.
28. Maritime Transport Agency, https://mta.gov.ge/?m=9 [Last visit 10.12.2021].
29. On certain measures to be taken in the Georgian seafarers’ certification and training system in connection of the spread of the novel coronavirus COVID-19. Director of Maritime Transport Agency of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, Order N5, April 6 2020.
30. Maritime Human Rights Risks and the Covid -19 crew change crisis: A tool to support human rights due diligence, available: https://www.ohchr.org.
2. More action needed for seafarers, ‘collateral victims’ of measures to curb Covid-19, https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/10/1074732, [visited: 30.09.2021].
3. IMO, Circular Letter No.4204/Add.14/Rev.1, 5 October 2020. IMO Website “Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Pandemic”, https://www.imo.org/en/MediaCentre /HotTopics/Pages/Coronavirus.aspx [visited: 30.09.2021].
4. ILO regarding the protection of seafarers’ rights under the MLC, https://www.ilo.org/global/standards/maritime-labour-convention/lang--en/index.htm, [visited: 30.09.2021].
5. ICS, https://www.ics-shipping.org/supporting-shipping/covid/, [visited: 30.09.2021]
6. ITF Support Workers, https://www.itfglobal.org/en/focus/covid-19, [visited: 30.09.2021].
7. Maritime Labour Law Convention, 2006.
8. Aguilar v. Standard Oil Co., 318 U.S. 724 (1943).
9. Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, 1963.
10. Universal Declaration of Human Rights; 1965 International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination; 1966 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; 1979 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women; 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child; 1990 International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families. 2006 Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
11. The Right to Health, Fact Sheet No. 31, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and World Health Organization.
12. European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) Fundamental Rights Report 2021 (Annual report), The Corona Virus Pandemic and Fundamental Rights.
13. Hebbar A.A, Mukesh N. COVID-19 and seafarers’ rights to shore leave, repatriation and medical assistance: a pilot study, International Maritime Health. 2020, 71(4), pp. 217; 223; 224, 227-228.
14. Doumbia-Henry C. Shipping and COVID-19: protecting seafarers as frontline workers. WMU Journal Maritime Affairs. 2020; 19(3); pp. 279, 293.
15. Wilhelmsen COVID-19 Global Port Restrictions Map – https://www.wilhelmsen. com/ships-agency/campaigns/coronavirus/coronavirus-map/.
16. General observation on matters arising from the application of the MLC, 2006 during the COVID-19 pandemic-Adopted by the CEACR at its 91st session, p. 2.
17. United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, 1982.
18. Prölss A., The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Commentary, Hart Publishing | Oxford, United Kingdom, 2013, p. 710;
19. Geneva Declaration on Human Rights at Sea, 2019.
20. Hirsi Jamaa v Italy, App. № 27765/09 (ECtHR, 23 February 2012).
21. The COVID-19 related guidelines for ensuring a safe shipboard interface between ship and shore-based personnel were proposed based on consultation and active engagement of international organizations such as IMO: ICS, IAPH, BIMCO, IACS, IFSMA, IMPA, INTERTANKO, P&I Clubs, CLIA, INTERCARGO, Inter Manager, IPTA, FONASBA, WSC, International Maritime Employers’ Council (IMEC) and the International Support Vessel Owners Association (ISOA).
22. IMO, Circular Letter No. 4204/Add. 4/Rev. 1, 28 May 2020; IMO, Circular Letter No.4204/Add. 14, op. cit, IMO. Circular Letter No. 4204/Add. 6, op. cit ; IMO establishes Seafarer Crisis Action Team, available at: https://safety4sea.com/imo-establishes-seafarer-crisis-action-team/?__cf_chl_jschl_tk__=pmd_cKG4EEH7K0hxGF2DRtniuDqomLxV86EyeqJnVwnD.8s-1634585916-0-gqNtZGzNAiWjcnBszQdl.
23. The Neptune Declaration on Seafarer Wellbeing and Crew Change, available https://tft.unctad.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/The-Neptune-Declaration-on-Seafarer-Wellbe ing-and-Crew-Change.pdf;https://www.globalmaritimeforum.org/content/2021/11/Neptune-Dec laration-Crew-Change-Indicator-November-2021.pdf; the best practice https://www. Globa lma ritimeforum.org/content/2021/05/The-Neptune-Declaration-Best-Practices-for-Chartere rs. pdf.
24. Information notes on maritime labour issues and coronavirus (COVID-19) Revised version 3.0, available at: https://www.ilo.org/global/standards/maritime-labour-convention/ WCMS_741024/lang--en/index.htm.
25. International Medical Guide for Ships, available at: http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/43814/9789240682313_eng.pdf;jsessionid=9730A9B7BA7A7D1B6EA30CA8A2AA0E29?sequence=1.
26. Guidance on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), available https://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/healthcare-us/ppe/guidance.html.
27. Circular No. 18/CIRC/STCW.
28. Maritime Transport Agency, https://mta.gov.ge/?m=9 [Last visit 10.12.2021].
29. On certain measures to be taken in the Georgian seafarers’ certification and training system in connection of the spread of the novel coronavirus COVID-19. Director of Maritime Transport Agency of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, Order N5, April 6 2020.
30. Maritime Human Rights Risks and the Covid -19 crew change crisis: A tool to support human rights due diligence, available: https://www.ohchr.org.
Published
2022-01-27
Section
SEA AND RIVER TRANSPORT
