FSUI Urges IMO To Intervene And Repatriate Indian Seafarers Stuck In Iranian Ports And Territorial Waters

Mumbai: The Forward Seamen's Union of India, (FSUI) has urged the Secretary General of the International Maritime Organisation, based in London, to intervene and protect and repatriate Indian seafarers stranded in Iranian ports and territorial waters amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Along with India, Iran too is a signatory of the IMO convention of 2006, that ensures safety and well-being of seafarers. Israel and US which are also members of the IMO are interestingly not signatories of the convention.

Around 1,000 seafarers are stranded at various ports and on vessels in the waters of Islamic Republic of Iran, since the outbreak of war on February 28. After 20 days of war, the situation has become alarming as there is a blackout called by Iran and there is no communication between the stranded seafarers and their families and the FSUI back in India.

The FSUI has been constantly pushing the Indian government and the Ministry of Shipping and DG Shipping to issue a strong message to the Iranian government on the issue. "Their (Iran) government needs to take responsibility of the safety and well-being of our seafarers stranded in their waters," said FSUI General Secretary Manoj Yadav.

The FSUI, in its letter to Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary General of the IMO, wrote, "What began as targeted military operations has regrettably escalated, resulting in the loss of civilian lives, including seafarers, and direct attacks on multiple vessels in the region. Many vessels remain immobilized , with crews prohibited from disembarking, effectively confining them in conditions akin to prolonged confinement in restricted space. We specifically draw your attention to the critical situation affecting vessels and crews at the following locations: Bandar Abbas, Sirri Islands, Lavan Island and Bushehr Industrial Complex (BIK) in Iran."

The FSUI asked the IMO, "to intervene with various stakeholders to priotirise the protection of seafarers in accordance with international maritime law and humanitarian principles. Facilitate immediate safe passage, evacuation and repatriation arrangements for those stranded. Advocate for the establishment of secure corridors or mechanisms to ensure the safety of merchant shipping and crew welfare in the affected areas."

What is IMO?

This international body has 176 member states that include Iran, India, Israel and the United States of America.

The IMO is committed to creating international laws which all shipping nations abide by, which it states is, "the greatest method to increase maritime safety, and several such treaties were ratified starting in the middle of the 19th century." Several member countries had proposed a permanent international body should be established to promote maritime safety more effectively. This got recognition and traction after the establishment of the United Nations.

Several governments and 68 inter-governmental organizations have concluded agreements of cooperation with IMO. As many as 98 international non-governmental organizations are in consultative status with IMO. The IMO website states that it is committed to "Safer shipping, cleaner seas".

IMO's mission statement is, "The IMO is committed to finding best ways of improving safety at sea. They drafted numerous international regulations which are being followed by all shipping nations and treaties have been adopted to adhere to these regulations." The organization is focused on the safety of the seafarers and crews and its mission is to safeguard marine environment and to implement satellite distress and safety communications.

The Maritime Labour Convention

An important commitment that came about from the efforts of the IMO for safeguarding people working on vessels and making member nations commit to safeguarding their safety, was the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006, as amended, (MLC, 2006), and adopted by the 94th (Maritime) Session of the International Labour Conference (ILC) on February 23, 2006.

The Convention revises and consolidates 37 existing conventions and the related recommendations. The MLC, 2006, sets out, in a single instrument, the right of the world’s 1.5 million seafarers to decent conditions of work in almost every aspect of their working and living conditions, including minimum age, employment agreements, hours of work and rest, payment of wages, paid annual leave, repatriation, on board medical care, the use of recruitment and placement services, accommodation, food and catering, health and safety protection and accident prevention, and complaint procedures for seafarers.

The Convention which is also known as 'MLC, 2006' came into force on August 20, 2013 and is considered as binding as per international law. The effort is to establish minimum working and living standards for all seafarers on ships.

On June 11, 2014, the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran deposited with the International Labour Office the instrument of ratification of the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC, 2006). Iran is the first country from West Asia to ratify this landmark Convention. Its merchant fleet totals 3,272,193 gross tonnes.

At the time of signing, Iranian Minster of Cooperatives, Labour and Social Welfare, Dr Ali Rabiei had stated, “In view of the importance given to the Maritime Labour Convention as one of the key international instruments concerning merchant shipping governed by the uniform legal regime and laying out seafarers’ right to decent work conditions, the Islamic Republic of Iran hereby expresses resolve to officially deposit its instrument of ratification and accession to the above convention.”

What is the Shipping ministry saying?

However, officials from the Indian shipping sector are skeptical whether Iran can at this juncture offer any help or commitment. A senior officer of the shipping ministry, Captain Suraj Naik told ETV Bharat, "Our government is trying hard as many of our seafarers and workers are stuck in Iran and other Gulf countries. However, it is tough for Iran at this moment to take a stand and issue a commitment going by their current situation."

He further said, approaching the IMO is a positive step, though the situation is not that simple. "Yes, the IMO has powers and it can issue directions to Iran. But right now, the situation is rather complicated," said Captain Naik.

ETV Bharat emailed questions to the Ministry of Shipping for its response to the letter sent by FSUI to IMO and the request to ask Iran to initiate measures as per the Convention. The response is awaited.

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