IMO Secretary General Urges Action on Unfair Treatment of Seafarers.
In a recent address to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Legal Committee meeting, Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez expressed deep concern over the growing cases of unfair treatment faced by seafarers worldwide. Dominguez highlighted the need for immediate action to address these alarming trends, emphasizing the safety and wellbeing of seafarers as paramount.
Dominguez specifically called for the release of the crews of two vessels, Galaxy Leader and MSC Aries, whose crews have been subjected to distressing situations. The Galaxy Leader, a car carrier, was seized by Houthis in November 2023, while the container ship MSC Aries was seized by Iranian authorities earlier in April. Dominguez echoed appeals from the shipping industry and urged for swift action to secure the safe return of these crews to their loved ones and livelihoods.
Addressing the broader issue, Dominguez underscored the need to prevent international shipping from being targeted and exploited for geopolitical purposes. He called for concerted efforts to ensure that ships and seafarers can continue their work without threats or interruptions, emphasizing that such actions pose a threat to the sustainability of merchant shipping and adversely affect the morale of seafarers.
Dominguez reassured stakeholders of his commitment to finding solutions and engaging with the United Nations and other relevant parties to address these challenges. He urged continued efforts to restore normalcy and protect the rights and wellbeing of seafarers, stressing the importance of maintaining a safe and conducive environment for the maritime industry to thrive.
The remarks by the IMO Secretary General underscore the urgent need for collective action to address the unfair treatment of seafarers and safeguard the integrity and sustainability of the global maritime sector.
The Secretary General of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), Arsenio Dominguez has expressed concerns over rising cases of unfair treatment of seafarers, which he said were regrettably growing.
The IMO scribe also called for the release of the crews of Galaxy Leader and MSC Aries in his opening remarks to the IMO Legal Committee meeting.
Dominguez said there was a particularly worrying geopolitical context in which recent distressing events have taken place, and that safety and wellbeing of seafarers must remain of utmost importance.
He reiterated his call for the immediate release of the crew of Galaxy Leader, a car carrier seized by Houthis in November 2023. Noting the recent letter from the shipping industry to the Secretary General of the United Nations, Dominguez added his voice to those appealing for the release of container ship MSC Aries and its crew after the ship was seized by Iranian authorities earlier in April.
Dominguez said he was in constant search for solutions, continuing conversations with the UN and other stakeholders.
“The plight of the seafarers affected by these incidents must not be forgotten and it is incumbent upon us to pursue every available avenue to secure their safe return to their loved ones and their livelihoods.
“International shipping must not be targeted and used as a means of exerting pressure in geopolitical crises.
And I call on you here to continue your efforts to return to normalcy and for ships and seafarers to continue doing their work without threats and interruptions.
“This poses a threat to the future sustainability of merchant shipping. It negatively affects the morale of seafarers and recruitment of qualified young people into the seafaring profession,” he said.
