Nautilus International has intensified calls for the United Nations to promptly establish a 30-day humanitarian maritime corridor in the Strait of Hormuz, aimed at facilitating the safe evacuation of stranded seafarers from the region. This initiative arises amid escalating tensions that have effectively closed vital shipping routes, leaving approximately 20,000 seafarers trapped across the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman.
During a recent International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) Fair Practices Committee meeting in Rotterdam, representatives from Nautilus, along with affiliate unions, highlighted the deteriorating humanitarian situation. The International Bargaining Forum (IBF) has classified the area as a warzone, granting seafarers the right to repatriation; however, many still find themselves unable to leave.
Nautilus, in collaboration with trade unions CFDT, RMT, and CGT, co-sponsored a motion urging stronger international action to address the alarming erosion of seafarers’ rights. This motion received unanimous support from global dockers’ and seafarers’ unions participating in the FPC. It emphasizes that the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is disrupting global trade and exacerbating a wider social and economic crisis for maritime workers worldwide.
The motion calls on the UN Security Council to swiftly establish a temporary humanitarian corridor for safe passage of civilian vessels and crews. Nautilus’s head of international relations, Danny McGowan, stated that the majority of Nautilus Federation affiliates are impacted by the crisis, and the organization will continue to advocate for safe evacuation measures. The FPC has recorded over 1,800 assistance requests since late February, with many involving unpaid wages and barriers to repatriation, as well as shortages of essential supplies. Despite appeals from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) for the protection of civilian shipping, delegates noted a lack of effective support on the ground.
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