It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
Russia’s shadow fleet is moving oil into four different areas in the Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea, according to a recent report in the U.S Naval Institute’s Proceedings. The oil is moved through a complicated net of ship-to-ship (STS) transfers. The so-called shadow fleet is a collection of aging and weathered tankers with unknown or shady insurers, and it is helping Russia evade Western-imposed sanctions on shipping.
The Russian Federation’s main source of income comes from fuel and energy exports. Following the invasion of Ukraine and the ban of Russian oil sold above a price cap, the Kremlin had to find a way to keep the oil flowing out. Russian interests created a parallel, sanction-proof fleet able to move millions of barrels per day.
The shadow fleet relies on ship-to-ship (STS) transfers in order to mask the source of Russian oil. The locations identified as STS transshipment areas include the Laconian Gulf, Hurd’s Bank near Malta, an area off Ceuta, and a suspicious spot off the coast of Romania. In these locations, tankers carrying Russian crude and oil products usually meet up and engage in STS transfers. With this sanctions-evasion behavior, Western-insured tankers can carry oil or products priced above the G7 price cap on Russian oil, and therefore earn from the shipments. At the same time, the Russian Federation can keep its exports flowing to pay for their war in Ukraine.
Fig. 1: Countries Involved in STS operations. Sources: Lloyd’s List Intelligence, Windward, European Space Agency, Authors.
Technically, moving Russian oil is not entirely illegal. If the oil is purchased below a certain threshold, which is $60 per barriel for crude (and $45 and $100 for discount and premium oil products, respectively), Western-insured tankers can ship this cargo. The measure has been taken in order to prevent global energy prices from skyrocketing, at the same time, to limit the Kremlin’s revenues. However, Urals oil has been trading significantly above the threshold since July 2023, and so has the ESPO blend, which never went under the price cap. With these oil prices, there is a heightened need for sanctions compliance monitoring and due diligence.
There are many cases where Western-insured oil tankers loaded crude or products in Russian ports at times when oil prices were – and are – above the limit, making it difficult to assess if the shipping were legal. Moreover, since transaction prices are available only to brokers and traders, to assess if a delivery is compliant is more difficult than it may appear. However, the fluctuation of oil prices may be helpful to give a general indication.
If this is combined with Identification Deception Tactics, such as spoofing or AIS blackouts, the shady nature of the transshipments appears evident. Indeed, there are many tactics employed by Russian-related tankers, ranging from AIS disappearance to spoofing, but especially the blending of oil in floating oil hubs or storage; shady tankers loitering in known transfer areas; and receiving cargo from different countries. After the blending procedure, the oil is then transferred to other ships that, as a result, don’t have to prove any attestation of compliance – since the oil is no longer labeled as Russian.
In all of this, the often under-maintained tankers are dangerous environmental time bombs ready to explode, as the case of thePabloor the more recent case of Andromeda Starremind us. New upcoming sanctions of the European Union and the United States are expected to fix some of the loopholes exploited by the so-called Shadow fleet and the STS transfers, but the numbers are so high that constant monitoring is needed.
More detailed insights into the operation of the Russian shadow fleet may be found in the author's recent USNI Proceedings article, available here.
Alessio Armenzoni is a geospatial intelligence analyst working on projects related to maritime security. He studied at the Centre for Higher Defense Studies from the Italian MoD.
Giangiuseppe Pili (Ph. D.) is an Assistant Professor in the Intelligence Analysis Program at James Madison University. He is an Associate Fellow at Open Source Intelligence and Analysis at the Royal United Services Institute.
Gary C. Kessler, Ph.D, CISSP is co-author of "Maritime Cybersecurity," 2/e and a maritime cybersecurity researcher and consultant. He is on the advisory board of Cydome and a principal consultant at Fathom5.
The opinions expressed herein are the author's and not necessarily those of The Maritime Executive.
Boater Fined $34,000 for Going the Wrong Way Up Dover Strait Traffic Lane
A recreational fisherman has been fined $34,000 for multiple breaches of the rules of the Dover Strait Traffic Separation Scheme, which caused considerable disruption in one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world.
On September 14, 2022, HM Coastguard's Rescue Coordination Center in Dover spotted a small fishing boat headed the wrong way up the southwest Traffic Separation Scheme - not just once, but multiple times in the same day. The boat was the Reel Fun 2, owned and operated by UK resident Simon Hughes, 64.
HM Coastguard tried to reach the Reel Fun 2 several times by radio, but received no response. In order to alert shipping to the risk, the rescue coordination center broadcast a "rogue vessel warning" to all merchant vessels in the TSS. Meanwhile, a Royal Navy vessel intervened and intercepted the fishing boat to establish contact.
The Rules of the Road require vessels to travel in the correct lane and the correct direction in a traffic separation scheme. Vessels under 20 meters in length "shall not impede the safe passage of a power-driven vessel following a traffic lane," and a breach of this requirement is a COLREGS violation.
"Failing to comply with the rules may cause confusion on the bridge of large ships, resulting in alteration of speed and course. This can have a knock-on effect for other large ships, creating an unnecessary hazard to shipping," said MCA Investigator Mark Flavell.
Hughes was convicted and sentenced on June 12. He was ordered to pay fines, victim surcharges and prosecution costs totaling $34,000.
AIS data shows that Reel Fun 2 continued to ply the waters of the English Channel as recently as April 2024.
Wison Becomes First Chinese Yard to Quit Russian Market
Chinese LNG specialist Wison New Energies has become the first Chinese shipyard to leave the Russian market, abandoning its lucrative role in Novatek's giant Arctic LNG 2 project. The firm announced its decision in a LinkedIn post last week.
"Wison New Energies' Board of Directors has decided to discontinue all ongoing Russian projects and will immediately and indefinitely stop taking any new Russian business," the firm said in a statement. "We appreciate the good relationship we have established with our Russian partners in the past and value the work we have done together. However, considering the company's strategic prospects, we have to make this difficult decision"
Wison is one of the world's leading builders of LNG process modules, including complete floating LNG liquefaction plants for offshore production. It was one of several Chinese offshore contractors who won bids to supply process modules for Novatek's Arctic LNG 2 expansion plant on the Gulf of Ob. The core components of the terminal - the liquefaction trains - are being built atop three giant gravity-based structures (GBSs) made of concrete, which will be floated to the site and partially sunk onto permanent resting places alongside the shore.
The first GBS has already been completed and installed, but work on the second and third trains has been delayed by the withdrawal of Novatek's Western suppliers. Blue-chip companies like Mammoet, Baker Hughes, Saipem, Boskalis, Technip and Linde have all quit, and Novatek has had to attempt to replace these engineering and maritime specialists with less well-known alternatives - and often, to redesign the plant around substituted components.
The U.S. Treasury has begun sanctioning Novatek's remaining suppliers, starting with JSC Energies, Nova Energies, Singaporean module carrier specialist Red Box, and Abu Dhabi-based Green Energy Solutions. Last week the Treasury also blacklisted Chinese shipbuilder Penglai Jutal Offshore Engineering Heavy Industries (PJOE), one of Wison's peers and a major supplier of process modules for the Arctic LNG 2 project.
Wison has so far escaped the U.S. government's attention, though it was a major contributor to the plant. As recently as January, four gigantic modules for the Novatek plant's Train 3 were visible in satellite imaging of the Wison yard in China, according to High North News.
Wison's announcement that it is quitting Russia does not necessarily mean that Novatek will lose a supplier. It is still possible that Wison's contract with Novatek could be fulfilled, under new ownership. In its statement Friday, Wison's board said that it is selling its entire stake in its Zhoushan facility, where the modules for Arctic LNG 2 were being assembled. Wison will no longer have any business connections with the Zhoushan yard.
Cleared of the risk of a possible U.S. sanctions designation over its activities in Russia, Wison will be free to pursue export contracts with other clients. On the same day as its announcement that it was departing Russia, Wison announced that it had won a $1.2 billion order for an FLNG from Malaysian conglomerate Genting Bhd.
GREECE
Prosecutors Seek Arrest of Yacht's Passengers for Sparking a Wildfire
Prosecutors in Piraeus are seeking the arrest of a luxurious superyacht and the detention of its 13 passengers and crewmembers, who are suspected of starting a wildfire on a popular resort island south of Athens.
Greece is currently in the midst of an intense heat wave, and temperatures passed the 110 Fahrenheit mark in some areas this month. An extreme fire risk warning was in effect last week because of the high heat and the potential for high winds, which can drive runaway forest fires. The warning came along with a ban on many activities that have the potential to start wildfires.
On Friday, a giant forest fire broke out on the island of Hydra. The blaze burned through 3,000 acres of the island's pine forest in 24 hours before responders managed to limit its spread. To get it under control, the authorities had to dispatch six aircraft and two firefighting teams, climate minister Vasilis Kikilias said.
According to prosecutors, the blaze on Hydra was sparked by a banned volley of fireworks launched from the deck of the 175-foot superyacht Persefoni I. The master of a nearby vessel reported that he witnessed fireworks or flares coming from the yacht before the forest fire, according to local media reports.
The vessel's crew were detained in Piraeus on Sunday and brought before a criminal court. The passengers are Kazakh nationals, according to local media.
"What was destroyed was absolutely beautiful pine forest and on the night in question, because of the winds, fireworks were banned. To use them was utterly irresponsible," said Hydra's mayor, Giorgos Koukoudakis.
If the fire on Hydra had been avoided, it would have freed up resources for use elsewhere, authorities noted. Greek firefighters were battling multiple serious blazes across the country last weekend, and the aircraft and fire teams could have been deployed to one of these other locations.
The case has captured public attention in Greece. If it goes to trial, and prosecutors secure a conviction, the punishment could be stringent. Greece has strengthened its anti-arson laws after a string of tough fire seasons, and the penalty for starting a fire can now reach up to 20 years in prison or a fine of $250,000.
Sovcomflot Tanker Reports Crew Rescue from Sinking Vessel Off Yemen
Lavant was abandoned due to uncontrollable flooding (Sovcomflot)
The Russian state tanker operator Sovcomflot released information and photos of a crew that was forced to abandon its vessel south of Yemen over the weekend. Neither Sovcomflot nor the UK Maritime Trade Organizations mentioned an attack by the Houthi or the reasons the ship was in distress. Security analysts are saying they are uncertain if the vessel was the victim of a Houthi attack while the UKMTO classified it as a SOLAS incident.
The crude oil tanker NS Africa (111,682 dwt) was reported sailing from India back to Europe after delivering Russian oil when it received the distress call from a vessel Sovcomflot identified as the Lavant. The NS Africa is one of the tankers Sovcomflot transferred to Dubai-based management and from the Liberia flag to Gabon at the beginning of 2024.
The Lavant appears to be a mysterious vessel that is reported to be registered in Comoros without a valid IMO identification number. Russian media reports state the ship was sailing from the UAE to Somalia when the distress call was issued.
According to Sovcomflot, it took them just an hour to reach the position which was 96 nautical miles southeast of Nishtun, Yemen. They reported that the 19 crewmembers, who are from India, Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Indonesia, had already left the tanker and were floating in a life raft.
Rescued crew aboard the Russian tanker (Sovcomflot)
The crew of the NS Africa retrieved the 19 individuals and provided food and water. The media stories are saying the Lavant sank off the east coast of Yemen on June 23.
Sovcomflot’s said that the NS Africa was proceeding to the Suez Canal. They report the rescued individuals will be disembarked at Suez on June 29.
The UK Maritime Trade Organizations on June 23 said it had received a report from an unnamed vessel in the same location reported by Sovcomflot. They confirmed uncontrolled flooding on the vessel and said the master had informed them that they were abandoning ship.
Fishing Community Settles Lawsuit Five Years After Golden Ray Wreck
Fishermen allege lasting pollution after the Golden Ray heeled over in Georgia with over 4,100 cars aboard (USCG photo)
Plaintiffs in one of the lawsuits stemming from the 2019 wreck of the car carrier Golden Ray have reached an out-of-court settlement nearly 20 months after they sued alleging continuing contamination and loss of livelihood. It is the latest in the legacy of the wreck that took two years to clear from St. Simons Sound.
Commercial fishermen and charter boat guides and operators filed suit in U.S. District Court in September 2022, three years after the vessel heeled over in the bay and a year after the completion of one of the largest salvage efforts. The wide-reaching suit named the owners of the vessel, Hyundai Glovis as the operator of the car carrier, the staffing agency, and the local port agent in Brunswick, Georgia.
Terms of the settlement are confidential, but it was revealed in a filing to the court. The Brunswick News reported that the U.S. District Court’s Southern District of Georgia accepted the deal and a stipulation to dismiss the suit. Attorneys for the fishermen confirmed to the newspaper that a confidential settlement had been reached.
The suit filed on behalf of at least 30 commercial fishermen, including shrimpers and crabbers, as well as other commercial charter boat operators, contended the area’s waters remained heavily polluted. The initial filings claimed that the oil and other residues that leached from the wreck continued to degrade the water quality. They cited the initial leaks from the vessel as well as subsequent discharges during the salvage operation. They also cite the fires and other problems during the removal and remediation efforts.
Shrimpers told the newspaper that their catches remained diminished years after the incident. They have contended in past reports that they were still finding debris from the vessel and 4,161, cars that were aboard. They cite reports of debris washing ashore as well as contending that there are still parts on the seafloor. In addition, the Golden Ray had 380,000 gallons of fuel aboard when it heeled over and despite pumping and a containment effort, there continued to be leaks at various times during the salvage operation.
The Georgia county where the wreck occurred also filed suit in March 2022 alleging lost revenues and lasting environmental damage. Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division also took action against Hyundai Glovis imposing in November 2021 its largest-ever fine against a company. Hyundai Glovis was ordered to pay $3 million for the discharge of oil and pollutants into the waterway.
China Conducts Landing Ship Drills as Tensions Rise in S. China Sea
China's navy is conducting amphibious drills in the South China Sea as tensions rise over control of the Philippine exclusive economic zone, over five hundred nautical miles away from the Chinese mainland.
Chinese state television broadcaster CCTV reports that three landing ships - Danxiashan, Laotieshan and Lushan - carried out a four-day combat drill at an undisclosed location in the South China Sea. The drills focused on search and rescue, live fire, damage control, ship-to-ship mooring, smokescreens, and anti-drone air defense operations - a modern addition reflecting the recent evolution of unmanned aviation.
These small landing ships date to the last generation of PLA Navy shipbuilding, and are intended to deploy small numbers of troops or armored vehicles directly onto the beach. Danxiashan is a Type 072 tank landing ship, a Cold War-era design with a capacity to deliver up to 10 tanks. The Lushan is a smaller Type 073, capable of carrying five tanks. Both could be used for direct amphibious landings on reefs, atolls and other contested features in the Spratly Islands, giving China the ability to quickly seize undefended land features in Philippine waters.
Philippines sends message of defiance
Last week, China Coast Guard personnel rammed and assaulted a Philippine resupply mission at Second Thomas Shoal, injuring eight Philippine soldiers and damaging several military RHIBs. One Philippine servicemember lost a thumb in the exchange, and images of Chinese troops wielding axes and knives circulated around the world.
On Sunday, in a visit to the Armed Forces of the Philippines' Western Command headquarters, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said that he was proud of the way that the troops at Second Thomas Shoal responded to China's "intense provocation" with restraint. "You demonstrated to the world that the Filipino spirit is one that is brave, determined, and yet compassionate," he said.
Marcos emphasized that his administration does not seek war with China, but will not back down when it comes to its internationally-recognized maritime boundaries. "In defending the nation, we stay true to our Filipino nature that we would like to settle all these issues peacefully. And in the performance of our duties, we will not resort to the use of force or intimidation," Marcos said. "But at the same time, we stand firm. Our calm and peaceful disposition should not be mistaken for acquiescence. . . . We will never be subjugated and oppressed by anyone."
Marcos presented the 73 troops who were involved in the resupply operation with an award, with special recognition for the servicemember who was injured in the fight.
Though his administration has accused China of violating international law at Second Thomas Shoal, Marcos' ministers appeared to take steps to de-escalate this week. Though the China Coast Guard boarding personnel carried edged weapons, brandished their armament to threaten Philippine servicemembers, and stole two Philippine RHIBs, National Security Adviser (NSA) Secretary Eduardo Año emphasized that "we cannot classify it as an armed attack."
"By international definition of an armed attack, it is the use of military force, an excessive use of force that could trigger collective self defense," Año said on Monday.
High Noon at Second Thomas Shoal
BRP Sierra Madre (Philippine Municipality of Kalayaan-Palawan)
China has identified the beleaguered garrison at Second Thomas Shoal as a weak link among the South China Sea features physically occupied by the Philippines and, by extension, the US-Philippines alliance.
While Manila has held its nerve against Beijing’s mounting pressure tactics and holds the moral high ground in the South China Sea, it’s not clear yet that it has a viable strategy to counter Beijing’s maritime juggernaut.
China is obviously willing to escalate. As it does, the Philippines, in trying to hang on, will probably need military support from the United States, its treaty ally. Another violent incident could invoke the US obligation to defend the Philippines against armed attack.
Since taking power in 2022, the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has got several important things right in the South China Sea.
First, Marcos has publicly laid out a clear and principled stance, founded on international law. This has helped generate sympathy and support for Manila as a plucky David standing up to Beijing’s Goliath. The turnaround in the Philippines’ international standing since the term of former president Rodrigo Duterte is remarkable.
The Marcos government has successfully revived international interest in the 2016 award of an ad hoc tribunal that ruled that China’s claims to Philippine waters were unlawful. The award had languished in abeyance under Duterte. Also in the legal realm, Manila submitted an extended continental shelf claim to the United Nations on June 15, showing China it had not been intimidated from pursuing claims in the South China Sea. The continental shelf claim is likely to provoke protests from other Southeast Asian countries, but Manila has been quietly working at ameliorating boundary disputes with such neighbors, especially Vietnam.
Second, the Philippine Coast Guard’s campaign to bring transparency to China’s coercive actions in the maritime domain and information warfare has brought a new level of awareness to the South China Sea. China cannot credibly refute bullying allegations when the evidence is in plain view and on social media.
Third, in April, the president’s office created a National Maritime Council to coordinate South China Sea policy. This comprises the key government maritime stakeholders, including the departments of defense, foreign affairs and transportation; the latter oversees the Coast Guard. The new body, which met this week, should subsume the existing National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea.
Fourth, the Philippines is implementing an archipelagic defense. In doing so, it is partially reconstituting the armed forces’ capabilities for external defense after decades of internal-security focus. The armed forces have acquired Brahmos cruise missiles from India for coastal defence and are fielding them in western Luzon—within range of Scarborough Shoal though not yet Second Thomas Shoal, which is far to the south. The Marcos administration has embraced a closer military relationship with the United States, resulting in increased exercises and expanded access for visiting US forces. Manila has also courted closer defense cooperation with Australia, Japan and others. These changes are collectively intended to counter-balance China’s maritime expansionism as broadly and deeply as possible.
Progress has been significant, but a number of policy shortcomings need to be addressed.
One is that the current approach is plainly insufficient. China has not been deterred from disrupting recent resupply missions by the Armed Forces of the Philippines to the garrison at Second Thomas Shoal. These have included a botched airdrop and the latest attempt by small boats on 17 June, which was brazenly interdicted by China Coast Guard personnel alongside the grounded Sierra Madre landing ship, the accommodation of the Philippine garrison.
Also, different arms of the Philippines government issue multiple, overlapping statements on the South China Sea, suggesting there is a coordination problem. Moreover, a creeping emotionalism has colored the language of some of these statements and related social media postings.
Third, the Philippines may have passed the point of diminishing returns from the Coast Guard’s name-and-shame campaign against China. Manila has probably realized all its diplomatic gains from the increased transparency and awareness about China’s misbehavior, while it is clear that China will not be shamed into better behavior for the sake of its reputation. Transparency, while useful, is not a stand-alone policy and needs backup.
And the Philippines is paying a price for Marcos’s comment at the Shangri-La Dialogue that ‘if a Filipino citizen was killed by a wilful act, that is very close to what we define as an act of war’. He had earlier ruled out using fire hoses on its vessels to counter the China Coast Guard’s aggressive use of water cannons against Philippines vessels.
Such attempts to communicate Manila’s resolve and peaceful intentions to Beijing, while well intentioned, have only emboldened China to escalate at Second Thomas Shoal. Red lines and grey zones do not mix well with China, as Beijing is adept at blurring the former into irrelevance. Now, as a result of China’s escalation, the grey zone around Second Thomas Shoal has a much darker hue. We are perilously close to the brink of an incident that triggers the United States’ treaty commitment to defend the Philippines.
So, what lies ahead?
China appears intent on maintaining an escalatory path at Second Thomas Shoal because it believes Manila is likely to blink first. In May, Beijing announced new powers for its coast guard to arrest foreigners for ‘trespassing’ within China’s ambiguous ambit claim, even where these waters overlap with the exclusive economic zones and territorial seas of other countries. On the present trajectory, there is little reason to doubt that China will follow through by apprehending Filipino fishermen or military personnel participating in future resupply missions to Second Thomas Shoal.
The current predicament is not Manila’s fault. China is clearly the aggressor at Second Thomas Shoal. But the Philippines, as a US treaty ally, must consider the consequences before it escalates. If Manila aims to maintain active control over the feature, it is likely to require US military support in doing so. At this stage, nothing short of direct involvement by the United States appears likely to convince China otherwise. And given Washington’s patchy record of hanging the Philippines out to dry by failing to prevent China from taking control of Scarborough Shoal in 2012 and not backing Manila diplomatically after it won the award in 2016, US credibility as an ally is on the line at Second Thomas Shoal. A joint Philippines-US operation to resupply the Sierra Madre would send a firm signal of deterrence and alliance cohesion to China. But this is ultimately a decision and a request for the Philippines to make.
Manila also needs to exert tighter control over its strategic communications, to prevent duplication, policy dissonance and over-personalization. What the Philippines needs most of all at this juncture are cool heads, cold blood and a steady hand on the tiller.
Euan Graham is a senior analyst at ASPI. This article appears courtesy of The Strategist and may be found in its original form here.
The opinions expressed herein are the author's and not necessarily those of The Maritime Executive.
On Day of the Seafarer, IMO Emphasizes Safety and Security
Each year on June 25, the global maritime community pauses to celebrate seafarers, who deliver 90 percent of all international trade. Seafarers work around the clock in a challenging industrial environment, and they leave their families for up to a year at a time in pursuit of their career. They give up the regular working hours and amenities that their shoreside peers are used to, receiving in return a better paycheck and the opportunity to travel. Without the two million men and women who work at sea, the maritime industry would not exist, and the global economy would lose steam.
"Seafarers from across the globe provide a vital source of income to their families back home, while on long voyages at sea. Let us together salute them for their essential work and support their safety," said UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in a statement. "Without them, the world would not be able to transport the large quantities of commodities that societies require to survive."
Guterres also called for an end to the "grave threats" that seafarers face near the Horn of Africa, the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, where hijackings and Houthi missile attacks have endangered the lives of dozens since last fall. The IMO says that four seafarers have died in Houthi strikes, and many others have been injured.
"Attacks on international shipping routes and acts of piracy are unacceptable," he said. "Ships and seafarers must not be held hostage and hijacked. Seafarers should not be collateral victims in wider geopolitical conflicts."
IMO also called for the immediate release of the crew of the car carrier Galaxy Leader, who have been held captive by Houthi forces for more than eight months.
Safety in focus
The IMO has dedicated this year's Day of the Seafarer to the theme of safety. To raise awareness, IMO has launched a social media hashtag campaign focusing on safety at sea, and seafarers are invited to share photos and tips with the tag #SafetyTipsAtSea on the social network of their preference.
The organization shared a sample tip from Filipino seafarer Yrhen Bernard Sabanal Balinis, who emphasized good communication. "Whether it be anchoring, pilot boarding, or mooring, the officers need keen situational awareness to ensure that things are running safely," advised Balinis. "But effective shipboard communication is not only limited to those. Is a crewmate feeling down, homesick, or anxious? . . . Tactful communication plays an instrumental role in seafarers' psychological safety."
Looking to the future, Rene Kofod-Olsen - CEO of the world's largest third-party shipmanager, V.Group - called for preparing seafarers for the next generation of fuels and technologies.
"We must keep developing them with an eye on what comes next. Complexity in our industry is increasing, and the challenges of decarbonization and digitalization will need more training and upskilling to manage properly," said Kofod-Olsen. "We must do this while keeping seafarer safety at the front of our minds, and be uncompromising in the standards that we set across the whole maritime value chain."
ITF Says Flag States Must Instruct Ships to Divert from Red Sea for Safety
Crewmembers of the Tutor were airlifted from their disabled ship by French and American forces (FFEAU.ALINDIEN of X)
Marking the Day of the Seafarer, the International Transport Workers’ Federation speaking on behalf of seafarers’ unions globally is urging the international community to reflect on the invaluable contribution of seafarers to the global economy. In the face of the latest escalation from the Houthis attacking ships in the Red Sea region, the ITF is saying that flag states “which are responsible for assuring a safe working environment for seafarers on their vessels, must instruct companies to divert their ships.”
The unions have repeatedly condemned the attacks and called for action. Now in a strongly worded statement, they are demanding immediate action to ensure the safety of seafarers in the Red Sea. They contend the actions, to date, have been lacking and could have prevented the unnecessary deaths of seafarers.
“While we appreciate expressions of solidarity and condemnation, words are not enough. The ITF demands urgent, concrete action to guarantee the safety and security of seafarers,” they write.
“Seafarers are not commodities but the backbone of the global supply chain. Their lives should not be risked for profit, nor should they have to perform their duties under the constant threat of violence or harm.”
The ITF reminds that four seafarers have lost their lives since the attacks started late in 2023. Three seafarers were killed in March when the True Confidence was attacked and fires began on the vessel. The remaining crew was forced to abandon ship. This month, the Houthis attacked the Tutor, and one seafarer was lost before the crew was forced to also abandon that vessel. Last weekend, there were reports that another bulker had also been abandoned marking the fourth vessel where the crews had to leave their ships after being attacked. Two ships are known to have sunk due to the attacks.
The official accounts cite one crewmember on the bulker Verbena that was severely injured and required a medical airlift by the military forces and a life-saving operation. There is no official tally, but there have been reports of lesser injuries to crewmembers in the attacks, which the Houthis assert now number over 150 vessels targeted.
On the Day of the Seafarer, the ITF is also calling for the safe return of the crews from the car carrier Galaxy Leader, which has been detained in Yemen since November 2023. The shipping company recently highlighted that the crew is not part of the conflict and should be released. The ITF also reminds that the MSC Aries is being held in Iran.
The unions are saying governments must do more while shipping companies must also demonstrate their commitment to their seafarers by diverting from the region. While saying flag states must instruct ships to divert, they said “flags of convenience” must not rely solely on the United States, United Kingdom, and European Union navies for protection.
After the attack on the Tutor, the Philippines said it would be exploring steps to further enhance the safety of seafarers. The Philippines which is a large source of crewmembers, earlier in the year ruled that its citizens could not work on cruise or passenger ships sailing in the Red Sea region. Officials said that was due to the number of crew on those ships and that they were exploring similar restrictions for their citizens after the recent Houthi escalation.
Survey: Decarbonization Adds to Seafarers' Workload, Fatigue, and Stress
Survey says decarbonization efforts are impact seafarers' well-being (file photo)
One of the themes being highlighted on this the Day of the Seafarer as declared by the International Maritime Organization are the challenges and contributions of the profession. The charitable organization ISWAN (International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network) is highlighting that the drive to decarbonization is having an overlooked yet substantial impact on the workload, fatigue, and stress levels at sea.
As governments impose regulations and companies explore ways to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions, seafarers seem to be forgotten in the larger scheme of things reports the charity. Believing that there has been comparatively little focus on the impact that the rapid pace of change is having on seafarers’ well-being and job satisfaction, ISWAN undertook a survey sponsored by The Shipowners’ Club. It includes responses from 400 seafarers of 29 nationalities as well as 55 responses from shore-based staff.
Slightly over half of the respondents, 53.8 percent, reported that the changes brought about by decarbonization were having a negative impact on their workload. Further, 44 percent of seafarers highlighted an increase in levels of stress, while 40 percent reported increased levels of fatigue.
The survey also revealed that a third of seafarers (32.8 percent) also have increased their fears about potential criminalization. They highlighted the complexity of current reporting regimes saying it is leading to greater risks of an inadvertent error.
Engineers are bearing the brunt of the negative impacts on their wellbeing. Over a third (34.4 percent) of engineer respondents are reporting a negative impact on their mental health, while a quarter (25.3 percent) of deck officers also cited mental health concerns. For the engineers, the workload and stress levels associated with requirements to switch frequently between different fuel types is taking a toll on their mental wellbeing. Engineers without a fixed trading pattern are reporting the worst impact.
“Only too often, seafarers tell us that they feel their well-being is overlooked in favor of commercial imperatives or regulatory requirements,” said Simon Grainge, ISWAN Chief Executive. “By engaging with their concerns about decarbonization, maritime employers have the opportunity to empower seafarers to be proponents and drivers of the journey towards zero carbon, rather than this becoming another factor that risks driving them out of the sector.”
ISWAN contends that while seafarers and shore-based staff are willing to be active contributors to the zero-carbon transition, they need to be proactively included in the efforts. For this reason, the charity put forth recommendations for maritime companies that guarantee the well-being of seafarers is elevated from the periphery to the frontline.
The recommendations include acknowledging and addressing the impact of decarbonization on workloads and factoring it into crew sizes, recognizing the psychological impacts of rapid change and technostress, and incorporating them into health and wellbeing training. They recommend fostering a culture of both physical and psychological safety for seafarers.
Indian Authorities Warn Seafarers of "Deceitful" Recruiters and Scammers
An abandoned seafarer swims back to his derelict vessel (ITF)
India's shipping ministry is warning seafarers to avoid unscrupulous operators and recruiters who abandon mariners at overseas ports. The practice of seafarer abandonment has been growing, according to the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF), and the directorate's guidance is intended to help mariners secure their rights if and when their employer stops paying their wages.
As a starting point, the directorate advises new seafarers to check up on the reputation of an employer or manning agency before signing on for a position, and to carefully review the terms of their employment contract. "[The] market is flooded with various scam agents," the agency said. "New joiners have very little knowledge about the maritime industry, and they easily fall prey to agents."
If the crew does run into a problem with wage payment, the directorate advises notifying Indian authorities right away, then starting the process to get the ship's P&I insurer to cover the shipowner's debts using their MLC financial security coverage.
?If the owner or agent does not respond to inquiries about unpaid wages, and abandons the vessel to its fate, the directorate advises seafarers to get the ship arrested and sold in order to cover the owner's debts, just like an unpaid bunker broker or banker would - not as a last resort, but immediately.
"Seafarers are not paid for wages, food, accommodation, drinking water supplies, fuel for survival and medical care then seafarer should immediately approach their seafarers trade union or Indian embassy or Indian consulate or welfare organizations to arrange for a local lawyer to enforce their rights under maritime lien," the directorate advised.
The notice includes a list of legitimate maritime academies and advises new entrants in the industry to avoid uncertified, uncredentialed maritime schools, which may be fraudulent.
"This notice is seen as a beneficial step towards safeguarding the rights and well being of seafarers and ensuring the integrity of the maritime recruitment process. It will not only serve as a guide for current seafarers but will also be of great help to new seafarers who are looking to apply for recruitment in the maritime industry," said Frank Viegas, president of the Goan Seamen Association of India (GSAI).
Last month, the directorate also issued an urgent warning about another unscrupulous practice: a scam that preys on seafarers' families. The agency has received multiple reports of a fraudulent scheme that targets the family members of seafarers while they are away: the fraudsters contact the family via phone or email and say that the crewmember has been involved in illegal activity, and demand money from the family in exchange for the seafarer's "release." (In reality, the seafarer is simply away at work, and the scammer makes off with the money.) The directorate urged seafarers and their families to be sure to verify the identity of the caller, and not to transfer any money to anyone without first validating their request.
"There have been incidents involving individuals falsely claiming to be associated with seafarers onboard vessels or pretending to be as from law enforcing authorities such as Customs, State Police Departments, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Immigration Officials and Govt. officials from Ministry etc., and soliciting money from their family members under fraudulent pretences," warned Indian Deputy Director General of Shipping Capt. Daniel J Joseph. "These claims are generally false and are designed to deceive and exploit unsuspecting family members."
Maritime Charities Help Ensure Better Working Lives at Sea for Seafarers
Stella Maris CEO Tim Hill and The Seafarers' Charity Chief Executive Deborah Layde
Hundreds of thousands of seafarers and fishers in the UK and other parts of the world have benefited from practical, pastoral and spiritual support provided by global ship visiting network Stella Maris over the past 10 years, thanks to over £1 million in grant funding provided by The Seafarers’ Charity over that period. The Seafarers’ Charity’s sustained grant funding over the last ten years has enabled Stella Maris to help ensure better and safer working lives at sea for seafarers and fishers.
Through its global network of over 200 port chaplains and more than 800 volunteers, Stella Maris is present in 353 ports in 57 countries, and collectively they undertake up to 70,000 ship visits globally each year. The Stella Maris teams provide fishers and seafarers with a listening ear, practical assistance, warm clothing, reading materials, transportation into towns, faith materials, and communication tools for contacting family and friends back home.
Unrestricted core funding provided by The Seafarers’ Charity over the last decade has enabled Stella Maris to continue carrying out vital daily ship visits, offering friendship, advice and timely support to seafarers and fishers faced with challenges whilst working at sea. Some of these challenges have included: abandonment, modern slavery, non-payment of wages, hospitalisation and deaths at sea or back home.
As a recent example, an Indian crew abandoned in Troon, Scotland had not received their wages for several months. The local Stella Maris chaplain, Deacon Joe O’Donnell, visited and provided them with free mobile phone SIM cards, food, clothing and transport into town. The uncertainty of having no income put them under huge mental strain, so Stella Maris offered them pastoral support and reassurance. Following this intervention, the crew were eventually paid and they were able to return home.
Grants from The Seafarers’ Charity have also supported the growth and development of Stella Maris’ activities in South Africa and Kenya during this period. In Kenya, this has enabled the growth of Stella Maris Kenya from one port chaplain and three volunteers to a team of one port chaplain, three staff members, and 30 volunteers, greatly increasing the number of ships visited and seafarers helped. The funding has also helped Stella Maris Kenya to support over 8,000 seafarers, fishers and their families through access to training, educational programmes and counselling support.
Tim Hill MBE, CEO at Stella Maris said: “None of our work is possible without that unrestricted core funding provided by The Seafarers’ Charity. Who would pay Deacon Joe’s salary, the fuel for his car, his personal protective equipment? Core funding isn’t glamorous, it’s not aligned to a specific project or deliverable, but here in the UK it is essential to enable my 22 chaplains and 80 volunteers to carry out their duties, so we are very grateful to The Seafarers’ Charity for their visionary and flexible funding approach.” He also added that “we are delighted to receive restricted funding grants that have supported our growth in Kenya and South Africa.”
Deborah Layde, Chief Executive at The Seafarers’ Charity added: “The Seafarers’ Charity is proud to support Stella Maris’ crucial role on the frontline delivering much needed welfare support to visiting seafarers. While their work in port is very visible, less visible, but just as essential, are the hidden core running costs of an organisation. Our funding of essential running costs means Stella Maris can focus on what they do best - helping seafarers. Thereby enabling them to pay their bills and deliver on their mission in the most effective and sustainable manner over the long-term. We encourage all funders and donors who want to support seafarers to consider contributing to the essential core costs of maritime welfare charities. Funding core costs may not be sexy or exciting and you can’t stick your logo on it, but it is a critical source of funding which enables a maritime charity such as Stella Maris to get on with helping seafarers to enjoy better working lives at sea.”
The products and services herein described in this press release are not endorsed by The Maritime Executive.
Fig. 1: Countries Involved in STS operations. Sources: Lloyd’s List Intelligence, Windward, European Space Agency, Authors.
