Category: IMO

International Day of the Seafarer 2021: A Fair Future for Seafarers – Insights from a young seafarer

Board of Advisors, Campaign, Day of the Seafarer, Human Rights at Sea, IMO, OP-ED, Seafarers

London. UK. Today marks the Day of the Seafarer, an annual IMO-led day that aims to recognise the vital role seafarers make to our everyday lives. During the COVID-19 pandemic, seafarers have undertaken what amount to be heroic efforts to continue providing the world with the goods it needs while they have been often ignored, have been failed to be repatriated in a timely manner and have had their contracts often extended in excess of legal norms.  This year's theme is a fair future for seafarers, but with a following question to be asked: "Can this can be achieved?

Flag States: How Can We Get Them to Improve their Performance?

Flag States, ILO, IMO, MLC 2006, OP-ED

London. UK. Chris Whomersley was Deputy Legal Adviser in the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office prior to his retirement in 2014. The following OP-ED reflects upon the 23 May 21 OP-ED by Captain Michael Lloyd who discussed the role of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS), flag States roles and responsibilities, and the actions of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

IMO and HRAS speak to the BBC about Seafarer Abandonment

Abandonment, Abuse, Egypt, Human Rights, IMO, Seafarers

London, UK. On Saturday, 17 April, representatives from the International IMO and Human Rights at Sea (HRAS) joined BBC Radio Scotland's national morning programme to discuss the ongoing issue and rising cases of abandoned seafarers globally. Mr. Frederick Kenny, Director of the IMO Legal Affairs and External Relations Division, and David Hammond, CEO, HRAS answered searching questions with the aim of bringing increased understanding to the Scottish audience.

Human Rights at Sea signs the Open letter to Secretary-General of IMO requesting the revocation of Libya’s SAR zone

Human Rights, IMO, Libya, Migrants, Press Release, Press Releases, SAR

Press Release Immediate  Thursday 2 July 2020 LONDON.UK. Human Rights at Sea has today signed the Open Letter to the IMO Secretary General Mr Kitack Lim prepared  by the civil liberties organisation Statewatch which was delivered on 29 June 2020 signed by hundreds of individuals and organisations.  The letter openly calls on the  Secretary-General  to revoke the Libyan...

Human Rights at Sea issues Statement for the Day of the Seafarer 

Day of the Seafarer, IMO, Press Release, Seafarers

London. UK. On the 25 June 2020, Human Rights at Sea will be celebrating the Day of the Seafarer, an IMO-led initiative which each year raises awareness on the vital role seafarers play in enabling global trade and the flow of essential goods. This year’s campaign focuses on the ‘key worker status’ of seafarers, emphasising that seafarers are essential to shipping and therefore, vital to the world.

The Big Welfare Debate – London International Shipping Week 2015: A Human Rights at Sea Review

Articles, HRAS Development, ILO, IMO, International Issues, NGOs, Policy, Press Release

­­ The Big Welfare Debate London International Shipping Week 2015: A Human Rights at Sea Review Maritime Welfare Sector Proposals Following The Big Welfare Debate at LISW 2015 Human Rights at Sea proposes three improvements for the maritime welfare sector. First. The establishment of a new funding mechanism directly supported by the maritime industry as part...

Migrant SAR Training Goes Beyond SOLAS

Articles, European Union, Flag State, ICS, IMO, International Issues, Legal, Migrants, NGOs, Refugees, Smuggling, Trafficking

Article first published by MAREX, 17 July 2015. Reproduced with express permission. An estimated 219,000 migrants crossing the Mediterranean in 2014 and 90,000 have crossing so far this year. A recent P&I club circular noted that a master that doesn’t do their duty under SOLAS Chapter V Regulation 33 can face up to two years’...

Migrant Rescue: Second blog post from Sea-Watch team

Articles, Asylum, Blog, ICS, IMO, International Issues, IOM, Legal, Migrants, NGOs, Supporting Entities

  Daniel Shepherd, Sea-Watch crew member and Human Rights at Sea Intern, posts the second blog for the Sea-Watch project en-route to the Mediterranean Sea in support of the international effort to assist in the rescue of migrants at sea. Here, he speaks on the legal duties to render assistance at sea and which apply...

Human Rights at Sea launches new “Unlocking the issue” international campaign

Articles, Campaign, HRAS Development, IMO, International Issues, Legal, Press Release, UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights

PRESS RELEASE Human Rights at Sea launches long-term “Unlocking the issue” campaign. LONDON. 20 April 2015.  [Updated 24 May 2016]. “There is no requirement for human rights at sea….what happens at sea is the business of the ship owner and the flag Sate….it has not been an issue before, so why now?” Senior Shipping Executive....

European and global operators of merchant ships and seafarers’ unions to urge EU Member States to take immediate collective action to address the growing humanitarian crisis in the Mediterranean Sea

Articles, Asylum, ECSA, European Union, Events, ICS, IMO, International Issues, Legal, NGOs, Press Release, Refugees, Smuggling, UNHCR

Photo Credit: TORM AS Brussels and London Wednesday 8 April 2015. Press release by the European Community Shipowners’ Association. THOUSANDS OF LIVES WILL BE LOST IN THE MEDITERRANEAN UNLESS EU GOVERNMENTS TAKE URGENT ACTION, SAY SHIPOWNER GROUPS AND SEAFARER UNIONS European and global operators of merchant ships have joined forces with seafarers’ unions to urge EU...

Human Rights at Sea End of Year Message

Articles, Business and Human Rights, Correspondents, HRAS Development, IMO, Missing Seafarers & Fishers Reporting Programme, Missing Seafarers Register, NGOs, Press Release, Supporting Entities, UN

Human Rights at Sea End of Year Message   Since its launch on 3 April 2014, the Human Rights at Sea initiative has developed well beyond the expectations of the HRAS founding team and all those involved in establishing what is a new, independent and internationally focused human rights platform that explicitly addresses issues surrounding...

Missing Seafarers & Fishers Reporting Programme – Introductory video & briefing

Events, HRAS Development, ICS, IMO, International Issues, IOM, Missing Seafarers & Fishers Reporting Programme, Missing Seafarers Register, NGOs, Press Release, Refugees, Slavery, Summary killings at sea, Trafficking, Videos

Human Rights at Sea is pleased to announce the release of a short introductory video produced to explain the background behind the forthcoming ‘Missing Seafarers & Fishers Reporting Programme’ as the flagship HRAS programme for missing seafarers and fishermen globally.   Outline Briefing Introduction The ‘Missing Seafarers & Fishers Reporting Programme’ is the flagship programme brought to the...

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