The ICSW is arranging a ‘Party in the Park’ for seafarers in Manila on Saturday 26 June as part of its programme to promote seafarers welfare in celebration of, and in support for, the IMO-designated “Year of the Seafarer”. The event will be held in Luneta Park, a venue familiar to many seafarers who gather there to look for work, on the day following the conclusion of the IMO Diplomatic Conference convened to finalise amendments to the IMO Convention on Standards of Training , Certification and Watchkeeping.
The ‘Party’ will include music, food, entertainment and competitions for seafarers and their families, and will be attended by the IMO Secretary General, his staff and delegates from the Conference. Government officials and representatives of the Filipino shipping community will also attend and take part in the event.
Please invite seafarers and their families along. If you are involved in seafarer’s welfare then please come along. The event will run from 9am to 2pm. Further details are available from Roger Harris
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.
ICSW AGM in Barcelona 23 to 26 March 2010 steps up plans to raise profile of seafarers' welfare - 31/03/10
Seafarer Welfare Organisations from all over the world met last week in Barcelona at the Annual General Meeting of the International Committee on Seafarers’ Welfare to step up their plans to raise the profile of seafarer welfare among the shipping industry. The AGM heard from speakers from the ISF, ITF, & ILO that the ground breaking Marine Labour Convention was likely to be ratified later this year and implemented in 2011. Members of ICSW were challenged by the ILO speaker, Dani Appave, to get ready for the implementation of the MLC. Other speakers stressed the need for the ICSW to play a pivotal role in the establishment of National Welfare Boards and Port Welfare Committees as well as ensuring that the part B guidelines on welfare are implemented.
The AGM also agreed to an ambitious programme for the remainder of the year including an international seafarer welfare award scheme and an event in Manila in June to promote seafarers’ welfare, both supported by the IMO as part of the International Year of the Seafarer. Roger Harris, Executive Director of the ICSW, said “The ICSW is preparing itself for a busy year. We plan to deliver a series of projects and other activities that will have a positive impact on the welfare of seafarers around the world.” Projects include an online toolkit on seafarers’ welfare and a pilot fundraising capacity building programme for seafarer welfare organisations.
Presentations & photos from the AGM can be downloaded from the ICSW 2010 AGM blog.
New Seafarers' Emergency Fund Launched - 12/03/10
The Seafarers Emergency Fund (SEF) has been set up by The TK Foundation to provide immediate, essential aid to seafarers and families of seafarers, who are directly involved in sudden and unforeseen crises. The fund is intended to act as a ‘last resort’ when all other avenues of funding have been exhausted or are not available. The fund can be used, for example, to cover the costs of psychological counselling, medical expenses, or, in certain circumstances, repatriation.
The fund is set up to react quickly. Seafarer welfare organisations can apply to the fund by contacting one of the advisors. Roger Harris of the ICSW (
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) is one of the advisors. The other advisors include Mike Campling of ISAN (
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), Hennie La Grange of ICMA (
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), Doug Stevenson of Centre for Seafarer’s Rights (
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), and John Caias (
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) and Fabrizio Barcellona (
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) from the ITF. Individual seafarers cannot apply to the fund as applications have to be made by an organisation. The funds go to the organisation and not the seafarer.
Before a grant can be awarded a straightforward set of criteria needs to be met. The application process is streamlined and doesn’t take very long. Kimberly Karlshoej, Director of The TK Foundation said ‘we setup the SEF because we saw a real need for a fund that can respond speedily to requests for help from welfare organisations assisting seafarers in crises.’ Further details including the criteria can be obtained from Roger Harris or one of the other advisors.
More nations ratify the Marine Labour Convention 2006 - 8/03/10
Since the beginning of the year 3 more nations have ratified the Marine Labour Convention 2006. Bosnia-Herzegovina ratified the convention in January while Spain & Croatia ratified it in February. It was significant that Spain ratified the convention as it holds the presidency of the EU and is the first EU country to ratify. So far a total of 8 countries have ratified the convention.
It is expected that the rest of the EU will ratify by the end of this year, meaning that the convention is likely to come into force at the end of 2011.
IMO launches “Year of the Seafarer” - 12/01/10
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) “launched” the theme for this year’s World Maritime Day – “2010: Year of the Seafarer” – at an event held at its London headquarters yesterday (11 January 2010), co-hosted with the International Shipping Federation (ISF) and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF).More
ICSW looks forward to 2010 with renewed focus on seafarers' welfare - 21/12/09
It was reported in London today 21 December that 2010 will see a renewed focus on seafarers welfare and quality employment standards, as the International Committee on Seafarers Welfare (ICSW) undertakes a series of major new projects based on the impetus provided by the IMO-designated “Year of the Seafarer” and the anticipated increase in ratifications of the ILO Maritime Labour Convention. More
Pirates pose a deadly threat to seafarers in the Gulf of Guinea - 2/12/09
A new report on AlertNet, the humanitarian news network run by Reuters, hightlights the danger seafarers face in the Gulf of Guinea. Ships passing through the Gulf of Guinea are at greater peril than off Somalia because West African pirates are ready to use deadly force to snatch oil cargoes and have little interest in holding crews for ransom. More
US Coast Guard issues new guidance on shore access for seafarers - 16/11/09
The US Coast Guard has issued new guidance on granting seafarers access to shore leave and access for welfare workers to visits ships. Both the Seamans Church Institute in New York and the ITF have been lobbying the USCG for greater access and this has led to the Coast Guard issuing new guidance reminding Captain of Ports that access must be permitted. Further details are on the US Coast Guard site
Workshop looks at what makes seafarers centres successful - 16/11/09
A workshop looking at what makes seafarers' centres successful was recently held in Hong Kong. The workshop, organised by the International Christian Maritime Association (ICMA), looked at the different components of a successful seafarer centre. Roger Harris, Executive Director of the ICSW attended the workshop and said ‘despite challenging circumstances it is encouraging to see a number of centres thriving and providing high quality welfare services to seafarers’. A fuller report is available on the ICMA website.
ICSW involved in global partnership on HIV and AIDS - 12/11/09
The ICSW is taking part in a new global partnership aimed at lessening the vulnerability to HIV among more than one million seafarers around the world. The Global Partnership on HIV and Mobile Workers in the Maritime Sector brings together ICSW, IITF, ILO, ISF, IMHA, IOM, and UNAIDS more
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