Working conditions of the m/v Deep Blue crew do not meet ITF requirements

There is no International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) collective agreement on board the vessel and this affects the crew: in particular, the basic rate of an AB Seaman is just $640, and the total salary is $1,391, while if there was an agreement  the salary would be no less than $1,836. Besides, the crew members have no idea of their  insurance coverage, which shouldn't  be less than $110,000 under the terms of the ITF collective agreement. 

The crew of the m/v Deep Blue (IMO 9616723, flag of the Marshall Islands, 2012 built) consists of  20 seafarers: 11 from Turkey, including the captain, the chief officer and the chief engineer, 5 from India and 4 from Georgia. The captain's salary is $9,000 per month. The shipowner is the Marshall Islands -based Aurora of Sea Shipping, the operator and beneficial owner responsible for salary payments  is the  Dede Denizcilik Tasimacilik located in Istanbul.

The Inspectors of the Far Eastern Territorial Organization of the Seafarers' Union of Russia (FETO SUR) visited the bulk carrier berthed at Nakhodka Commercial Sea Port and and talked with the crew focusing on  the flag of convenience the bulker is flying. “The flag of convenience registers do not ensure  decent working conditions and welfare standards on board,” - FETO SUR Chairman Nikolay Sukhanov emphasized. – In particular, vessels under such flags often have low  safety and crew training standards and low salaries. The ITF is  playing  major role in this struggle against FOCs aiming to safeguard and improve  seafarers'  employment conditions and ensure that all seafarers, regardless of colour, nationality, gender, race or creed, are protected from exploitation by employers and those acting on their behalf."

To improve the crew members awareness of the ITF and the SUR efforts to improve maritime workers labor conditions the FETO SUR representatives handed them the books on the rights of seafarers working under flags of convenience, as well as the the latest issues of the “Maritime Unions  Herald” magazine.

Also, the crew asked the FETO SUR representatives  to send a notice to the Turkish employer demanding to conclude a collective agreement and held an action against flags of convenience on board  the vessel. Besides, the FETO SUR representatives invited the crew to visit the International Marine Club in Nakhodka in their spare time.