Seafarers News

A new memorial stone and plaque have been placed at the grave of Captain John King Davis, one of the mostly highly decorated navigators and mariners in the history of Antarctic exploration.Davis served as Chief Officer under Ernest Shackleton during the British Antarctic Nimrod Expedition in 1907 and captained the SY Aurora during the Australasian Antarctic Expedition in 1911, led by Sir Douglas Mawson.Despite his contributions, Captain Davis’s grave at the Melbourne General Cemetery has remained unmarked since his death in 1967.Earlier this month…

The Secretary-General of the IMO Arsenio Dominguez has issued a statement on the situation in the Strait of Hormuz:“I am deeply concerned by reports that several seafarers have been injured in attacks on merchant vessels. No attack on innocent seafarers or civilian shipping is ever justified. These crews are simply doing their jobs and must be protected from the effects of wider geopolitical tensions.“Freedom of navigation is a fundamental principle of international maritime law…

On the 20th anniversary of the Maritime Labour Convention, the NGO Human Rights at Sea has called on Catherine King, Australia’s Minister for Transport, to take action on the consistent provision of seafarer welfare services after an advocate has travelled the nation securing funding in the absence of federal government support.The February announcement that Flinders Port Holdings has committed $200,000 to Mission to Seafarers is a reminder that, around Australia, welfare funding for seafarers is being driven not by national policy or coordinated planning…

Captain Vladimir Motin was sentenced to six years’ jail on February 2 after being found guilty of “gross negligence manslaughter” for his role in the container ship Solong’s ramming of the anchored tanker Stena Immaculate in March 2025.The circumstances of his case, heard at the Old Bailey in London, are different to those of Ali Albokhari, currently serving a 30-year term in a Turkish jail, but the contrast that is even more apparent is the mismatch in due process and access to justice…

The U.S. Coast Guard has launched a new, easier-to-use online system that allows mariners to submit and track credential applications faster and more securely. The Application Submission and Additional Information Portal, known as ASAP, lets mariners apply for Merchant Mariner Credentials and Medical Certificates, upload documents and monitor application status in one place. The system is now the primary way to submit applications to the Coast Guard’s National Maritime Center. The redesigned portal features simpler navigation, clearer instructions and improved document uploads.

Danish Shipping has presented its strategy for the coming five years titled “Charting the Course.”Overall, the strategy aims to strengthen Denmark and the Danish flag as the home base for Danish shipping companies, ensure that Danish seafarers’ skills are world-class, drive the sustainable transition of shipping with undiminished ambition, and ensure Danish shipping companies contribute strategically to defence and crisis preparedness.The strategy identifies a number of goals and key targets.

She Sails, CMA CGM's internal program to accelerate the integration of women into maritime transport careers, is celebrating its first anniversary. The program, launched in December 2024, which aims to significantly increase the presence of women on board CMA CGM vessels, has already doubled the number of women serving on board, from 200 sailors in 2024 to 403 at the end of 2025Building on these successes, the group has now set a target of 1,000 female seafarers by 2030, while promoting the professions and opportunities offered by CMA CGM.

Finnish technology group Wärtsilä and Sinocrew Maritime Services have inaugurated an advanced maritime simulation and training centre in Beihai, China, to support the next generation of seafarers in the Asian cruise industry and advance the adoption of decarbonization technologies.The Beihai International Seafarer Training Center (BISTC) will provide simulation-based training focused on cruise ship operations and sustainable maritime practices. The project aims to equip seafarers…

The International Labour Organization (ILO) has adopted Guidelines for Fair Labour Market Services for Migrant Fishers at a meeting convened in Geneva from October 27 to 31.Guidance on recruitment processes, work agreements, complaint procedures, and enforcement measures is included to safeguard the rights of migrant fishers globally while also supporting employers in recruiting and retaining a skilled workforce.The guidance comes as the fishing industry continues to face human rights violations and inadequate regulatory oversight.

Inmarsat Maritime, a Viasat company, is installing NexusWave on board selected Northern Marine Management Ltd (NMM) vessels operated by Stena Bulk and Proman Stena Bulk. This is part of their ongoing strategy to continually improve crew welfare through enhanced communications.Building on existing onboard connectivity provisions, NMM recognizes the growing importance of high-speed internet access in attracting and retaining talent and supporting operational performance. Inmarsat’s NexusWave is designed to deliver aggregated speeds…

A comprehensive independent investigation by Bloomberg into the 2020 sinking of the Gulf Livestock 1 has just been aired.For the families of the seafarers lost, it's been an ongoing saga of hope and sadness as some mounted their own search and rescue efforts and fought for more information on what went wrong. The livestock carrier was sailing from New Zealand to China with 43 crew and approximately 6,000 dairy cattle onboard when it capsized in the East China Sea during Typhoon Maysak.Around 8 p.m. on September 1, the Gulf Livestock 1’s engines failed.

A crew member of the Dutch cargo ship that was attacked by Houthis in the Gulf of Aden last week has died of his injuries, the vessel's Amsterdam-based operator Spliethoff said in a statement Monday evening.The company did not release further details about the deceased crew member, but a spokesperson told a Dutch broadcaster they were Filipino.The vessel, Minervagracht, was in international waters in the Gulf of Aden when it was struck by an explosive device that inflicted substantial damage and started a fire on the ship.

The United Nations is celebrating 80 years this year, and this week’s general assembly is meeting under the theme: Better together: 80 years and more for peace, development, and human rights.The UN Charter was signed on June 26, 1945, and came into force October 24 that year.From its founding, the United Nations has been at the heart of global cooperation. Highlights include:• Universal Declaration of Human Rights – 1948• UN peacekeeping created – 1948• Eradication of smallpox…

As World Maritime Day nears, (September 25) the Secretary General of InterManager points out that some senior managers need to look at themselves first if they are serious about improving the quality of life for seafarers.With the theme of this year’s International Maritime Organization event being “Our Ocean, Our Obligation, Our Opportunity” Captain Kuba Szymanski says the future of the ocean as a place of work puts serious obligations on maritime leaders to adopt a different approach to seafarer welfare.“As a ship manager…

The U.S. Coast Guard has awarded a blanket purchase agreement to Stealth Solutions Inc. to modernize the service’s Mariner Credentialing Program (MCP) information technology system and support revitalization of the maritime workforce and industry.The MCP is essential to vetting and denying criminals access to critical maritime infrastructure and supporting the Marine Transportation System (MTS). The National Maritime Center (NMC) processed nearly 75,000 credential requests and 66…

A new report from the All Aboard Alliance found that its 26 members have remained firm in their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) despite political pushback against such initiatives from some factions.The All Aboard Alliance Insights 2025 uses a maturity analysis framework to indicate how member companies are performing against the Alliance’s five guiding principles: accountability, learning and development, organizational culture, data, and communications.Now in its third iteration…

Twelve British seafarers have been recognized for going above and beyond the call of duty, receiving the prestigious Merchant Navy Medal for Meritorious Service which is celebrating its 20th anniversary on Merchant Navy Day, September 3.Captain Chris Phillips, 56 from Pembrokeshire, bravely led his 30-person crew on a rescue mission during the dead of Winter in 2024, saving 89 lives at sea, including women and children, and a baby.Born from a long line of seafarers, Phillips was inspired by his father and grandfather, both sea Captains, to join the Merchant Navy at the age of 16.

A new report from the ITF Seafarers’ Trust (ITFST) and the World Maritime University (WMU) highlights the continuing absence of shore leave for the world’s seafarers.Analyzing the data from 5,879 seafarers who responded to the ITFST’s Shore Leave Survey, WMU researchers concluded that more than a quarter of seafarers did not get any shore leave at all, and a third only got ashore once or twice during their entire contract, based on an average of 6.6 months onboard.Officers were least likely to get shore leave, and seafarers on offshore vessels and tankers were the least likely to get ashore.

When the maritime trade union Nautilus International asked memberswhat they thought of AI at a forum in January, there was some positive sentiment:“We shouldn’t automatically assume there will be problems with AI, as we’ve adopted other tech over the years without it being too intrusive for crew.”Others were not so sure:“There are worrying issues around liability and culpability if an incident happens involving a vessel operated using AI. Seafarers could take the blame when the…

There’s a master on the run right now.It was 4am, about 10 years ago. Two crewmembers died, 15 others were hospitalized. The master didn’t receive prior notification of the cargo fumigation that occurred, yet it is the master who is being held accountable.Captain Kuba Szymanski, Secretary General of InterManager, recounts the story as he explains why he is pleased about some of the outcomes of MSC 100 but feels more work still needs to be done.“Very often people onboard a ship do not have enough information.

The IMO is taking action to ensure that ships worldwide are safely managed and operated, with a renewed focus on seafarer issues such as work and rest hours, fatigue and violence and harassment, including sexual harassment, bullying and sexual assault.Meeting in London for its 110th session (18 - 27 June), the IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee focused on improving implementation of the International Safety Management (ISM) Code. The Code sets the global standard for safe management…

In a webinar organized by the Maritime Authority of Jamaica this week, some of the top names in the maritime world came together to endorse the International Maritime Organization’s Day of the Seafarer initiative.This year Day of the Seafarer took the theme of ‘My Harassment-Free Ship,’ stating that bullying and harassment was unacceptable in all its forms, with those on the webinar looking at ways bullying could be stamped out.Hosted by Sean Moloney, the panel comprised of Captain Steven Spence (Head of Safety…

As there is currently a shortage of mariners, the U.S. Coast Guard has considered the barrier to mariner career progression presented by Title 46 CFR 11.211(d), Service on Articulated Tug Barges (ATB) and Integrated Tug Barges (ITB). This regulation limits the crediting of sea service based on the aggregate tonnage of the ATB or ITB to a two-for-one basis up to only 50% of the required service.The inability to receive sea service credit for the aggregate tonnage of the ATB or ITB limits career progression and is unnecessarily burdensome for mariners holding unlimited tonnage endorsements…