Essential Marine workers. ‘Don’t criminalise seafarers’

In May 2023, Nikolaus Schues took over as president of the Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO), a non-profit organisation and the largest international shipping association. With over 2,000 members in 130 countries, it accounts for 62 per cent of the world’s tonnage. Its members include ship owners, operators, managers, brokers and agents. Schues is passionate about issues related to seafarers and sectors such as ship recycling. During his visit to Chennai recently, he shared with businessline his views on some of these issues. Edited excerpts from the interview:

What is the status of present-day seafarers?

We have to stress again and again that seafarers are the backbone of shipping. Without seafarers, there is no shipping. We, at BIMCO, say that without shipping, there’s no supply of essential goods. We have to make sure that politicians, regulators and voters acknowledge that. So the medium-term aim is that seafarers get ‘key worker’ status. It will help them — like during the Covid pandemic — travel more freely and have better access to airline transportation, etc.

What are the major concerns related to seafarers?

A major issue we have to work on is that the criminalisation of seafarers should stop. Nobody would think of arresting a pilot of an airplane because some drugs were smuggled in the suitcase of a passenger. But, in shipping, if drugs are found in a container ship, the crew is at risk of being arrested in some parts of the world. That is unacceptable. We have to work with the jurisdictions of many countries, and we want to improve the situation for the affected seafarers. We are doing this with the International Maritime Organisation and the International Transport Workers’ Federation. The International Labour Organisation has to look into this, and various countries need to do their part as well. Criticising does not help, supporting helps.

How about threats to seamen from pirates or terrorists?

Yes, seafarers are at threat, either from piracy or by terrorists. The most prominent example at the moment is in the Red Sea, where many ships have been attacked and some are still under arrest.

This is unacceptable in a world of free trade, and prosperity comes from free trade. BIMCO is doing everything it can to defend free passage in the sea. 

What trend can we expect in the supply of seafarers to the global merchant fleet?

In about two years, BIMCO will publish its next ‘Seafarer Workforce Report ...The market is there. After China and the Philippines, India is already the third largest supplier of seamen. This proves that India is doing many things correctly.

Why is there likely to be a shortage of seafarers?

This would be the result of many ships coming in and the retirement of seafarers... If there is a scarcity and you pay a little more money, there will be more cadets.

What should the entire ecosystem do to improve the situation?

Indian schools and universities could concentrate on adapting to ships in transition...

How about ship recycling in India? By June, the Hong Kong Convention will come into force... this will change the future of the global ship recycling industry.  I think the position in India is fantastic, with the country having abundant renewable energy to produce green steel from the ships.