BASTO SUR: procedure for issue port passes took 3 months

This year, representatives of the Black and Azov Seas Territorial Organization of the Seafarers' Union of Russia (SUR  BASTO) took three months to go through the process of port passes' issue.  According to Evgeniy Bangert,  SUR BASTO  Labor Inspector,  that was due to lengthy coordination with the police, the FSB  and the Border police:

– Each authority has its own rules and time limits for the documents approval. For example, it took about a month to get the approval from the police and two weeks – to receive approval at FSB.  In addition, the application was considered by three detachments of Border police, as the pass is valid in different parts of the port under their control. Usually, the authority representatives do not hurry, they process documents in exact time limits.  Besides, the situation is complicated by the regular  changes in legislation: for example, this year the amendments to the Customs Code came into force. Thus, now  we have to conclude agreement with the port authorities before Customs Office will process  out application. In fact you never know what awaits you the next time and what new difficulties may arise.

The Russian-flagged m/v “NEVADO-31” was the first ship   SUR BASTO Inspectors visited this year. The genuine shipowner is the Turkish company ALBROS SHIPPING, and it's Russian representatives are  ADORES LLC in Rostov-on-Don. Recently, there were problems with another their ship under the flag of the Russian Federation: “Modulus 2” was boycotted by Finnish dockers because of double registration, and, to get out the ship from that conflict, the owner signed the ITF Standard Collective Agreement, according to which the crew's wages more than doubled. 

However, the employer kept paying the crew prior wages, despite the new agreed rates. As such, the vessel was detained in Brest (France), where ITF Inspector Laura Tallonneau secured  the payment of €40,000  underpaid  wages to the crew.

Despite the shipowner's dubious reputation and the absence of a collective agreement on board, the crew members of the “NEVADO-31” – all Russians – do not complain about the working conditions.

– The seafarers told that they got paid on time, and they had no complaints, the ship supply is at good level, – Evgeniy Bangert said. – We advised the crew to keep in touch with us and join SUR. The seafarers promised to think it over.