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seafarers

Maritime Levy Campaign

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About the Project

Seafarers move 90% of the worlds goods around the globe.

They work in difficult and sometimes dangerous conditions. But because they are out at sea, they are out of sight and often out of mind. 

Thankfully, a range of welfare organisations exist to support seafarers. They help provide some of the comfort and support that most people take for granted on land. But a properly funded and sustainable welfare sector is needed to continue providing this vital support. 

seafarer

 

 

How are we helping?

We are advocating for changes in policy and legislation. 

We believe that levies and taxes charged to maritime companies by States should be used in part to support the welfare of seafarers by funding port based facilities and services.

Our efforts in New Zealand were successful and we are now working to support partners in Australia to bring about similar changes. 

seafarer NZ

 

 

Call to Action

Human Rights at Sea urges coastal states to reinforce political will and national legislative pathways to assure sustainable and long-term welfare support in law through existing maritime levy structures.
seaperson

 

 

Related Content

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News

Opinion: Australian seafarer welfare sustainability is in danger of failure

First published by Daily Cargo News | 30th September, 2022 Opinion By David Hammond, CEO, Human Rights at Sea At the time of writing, the state of long-term sustainable seafarer funding throughout Australian ports stands into genuine danger of being side-lined and failing without the force of

07 Oct 2022

Law Reform and Policy
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News

Maritime Levy Campaign receives direct engagement from Australian MPs

UK / Australia. Human Rights at SEA (HRAS) has undertaken a second round of letter writing lobbying and direct engagement with 19 key members of the newly formed Australian Parliament, as well as the new Australian Prime Minister, Mr Anthony Albanese. The recent federal elections saw a significant

30 May 2022

Law Reform and Policy
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News

Will Australia Kick-The-Can on Sustainable Funding for Seafarer Welfare?

Opinion 4 May 2022 The incoming Australian Government’s opportunity to assure long-term seafarer welfare funding and sustainability with minimal legislative amendment must not be derailed, side-stepped, nor the proverbial can kicked-down-the-road through paralysis of internal decision-making. The

04 May 2022

Law Reform and Policy
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Related Resources
Document
Australia Maritime Levy Counsels Opinion Feb 2022
Document
NZ Maritime Levy Counsels Opinion April 2020
Document
NZ MLC Welfare Failures Report March 2020

 

 

Success in New Zealand

Our maritime levy campaign began in 2019 in New Zealand. In 2020 we published a report on the underfunding of welfare services and the poor MLC compliance of New Zealand. We followed this up with a Counsel's Opinion, indicating how the situation could be rectified. This led to a government commitment to rectify the situation and an eventual change in legislation.

This change will allow port welfare facilities to access sustainable funding funded from the collection of levies from visiting vessels. Around 130,000 crew members visiting the 10 ports of New Zealand will have access to welfare facilities which are sustainably funded thanks to Human Rights at Sea’s Maritime Levy Campaign.

In 2022 we heard from the New Zealand government that the changes implemented have been positively impactful to the tens of thousands of crew members who pass through New Zealand’s ports. We continue to work with government and maritime welfare providers to monitor the effectiveness of the legislative changes

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Human Rights at Sea is a Registered Charity in England and Wales, No. 1161673

Registered Office: Langstone Technology Park, Langstone Road, Havant PO9 1SA, United Kingdom

© 2022 | Human Rights at Sea

  • Who we are
    • Our Mission
    • Our Strategy
    • Our People
      • Our Team
      • Board of Trustees
      • Advisory Board
      • Our Patron
    • Donors
    • Finances and Annual Reports
    • Consultancy Services
  • What we do
    • Access to Justice
      • Human Rights at Sea Arbitration
      • Fisheries Observer Project
      • Ukraine: Seafarers Caught in Conflict
    • Law Reform and Policy
      • The Geneva Declaration on Human Rights at Sea
      • Maritime Levy Campaign
    • Slavery at Sea
    • Children at Sea
    • Equality at Sea
  • Impact
  • News
  • Resources
    • Resources Listing
  • Contact us
  • Need help?
    • eyeWitness at Sea