Industry Leaders Urge Governments to Act on Seafarer Criminalisation Cases
Shipping industry leaders meeting at the Seatrade Maritime Crew Connect Global conference in Manila, the Philippines, have said the industry has done all it can for seafarers facing criminal charges abroad, and that governments must now step in directly, especially through their consular and foreign ministry channels.
Leo Bolivar, Manila country manager of International Registries Inc., said the “last straw” now rests with governments and their consular powers. Helio Vicente of the International Chamber of Shipping said dealing with port states is complex and needs foreign ministries to be involved, adding: “We need to bring in people who can actually help us.” Simon Grainge of the seafarer welfare charity ISWAN said a seafarer’s home country holds the key to securing release.
Speakers pointed to two cases. Ali Albokhari, chief mate of the bulk carrier Phoenician M, has been detained in Turkey since October 2023. A study by Human Rights at Sea, titled “A Grave Miscarriage of Justice” and published on its website, found missing cross-border evidence, an unverified chain of custody and reliance on his rank without proof that he knew of the alleged offence. It recommends involving Interpol, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and the European Court of Human Rights.
In the second case, three Filipino seafarers from the MV Harris are jailed in Algeria and face a 10-year sentence over a drug find that their supporters say was never proven. The Philippine presidential palace has said the government cannot interfere in Algeria’s judicial process.
For seafarers, these cases show how quickly crew, especially senior officers, can be held responsible for contraband or cargo they knew nothing about. Seafarers detained abroad are entitled to contact their own country’s consulate, and families can also seek help from unions, the ITF and welfare groups such as Human Rights at Sea.
