The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has endorsed the establishment of a standing Joint International Labour Organization (ILO) and the IMO Tripartite Working Group (JTWG) to identify and address seafarers’ issues and the human element. The Group’s terms of reference were also endorsed.
The decision was taken during the 127th session of the IMO Council, which held virtually from 11 to 15 July 2022
The Council specifically endorsed the Maritime Safety Committee’s instruction to the JTWG to “consider bullying and harassment in the maritime sector, including sexual assault and sexual harassment, taking into account information submitted by interested parties, with a view to providing recommendations for future steps, including the development of legislation, mechanisms and policies, and the launching of awareness campaigns by relevant stakeholders, aimed at reporting and addressing these matters”.
The Council also endorsed the Legal Committee’s forwarding of draft guidelines for port State and flag State authorities on how to deal with seafarer abandonment cases to the first meeting of the JTWG in December 2022 for further consideration and refinement.
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According to the IMO, from 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2021, a total number of 95 new cases had been reported on the IMO/ILO Joint Database on Abandonment of Seafarers.
It added that, during the first half of 2022, a further 74 cases were reported, thus alarmingly surpassing last year’s record of reported cases of abandonment.
For the task concerning the guidelines for port State and flag State authorities on how to deal with seafarer abandonment cases, Argentina, France, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Marshall Islands, Philippines and United Kingdom were given the task
Also, for the task concerning bullying and harassment in the maritime sector, including sexual assault and sexual harassment: Bahamas, France, Panama, Philippines, South Africa, Sweden, Thailand and United States, were given the responsibilities.
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