A new good practice guide for shipping companies & crewing agencies on supporting Filipino seafarers affected by Typhoon Haiyan has just been produced by industry group comprising of shipowners, welfare organisations, and unions.
Shipowner groups, unions, and welfare organisations are pulling together in response to the devastating effects of Typhoon Yolanda in the Philippines. One of the main concerns is for Filipino seafarers, who represent over 20% of the world's seafarers, to be able to contact their families and loved ones back home. Already, the Mission to Seafarers, Sailors Society, and Apostleship of the Sea (Stella Maris) are providing free phone cards, sims, and wifi to Filipino seafarers who visit their centres all over the world. The Seafarers' Emergency Fund, administered by ISWAN, is providing funds for seafarer centres around the world to facilitate free phone calls and wifi for Filipino seafarers to call back home.
ISWAN is helping to co-ordinate the response from organisations involved in seafarers' welfare such as the International Shipping Federation (ISF), the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF), and the International Christian Maritime Association (ICMA).