Saudi Arabian Company Leaves Crew Stranded Across Multiple Locations

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has received reports of seafarers working on eight Bahrain-registered vessels owned by Saudi Arabian company Hadi H Al Hamman Establishment not being paid for more than five months. One seafarer reported shortages of food, water, and fuel, pleading for support. The ITF has added the company to the Seafarers’ Breach of Rights Index due to concerns about escalating issues across its 35 ships. ITF Inspectorate Coordinator Steve Trowsdale expressed concern that the company may be facing financial difficulties but emphasized that withholding seafarers’ pay is unacceptable.

Under international law, seafarers should be paid at least once per month, and crews owed two months or more of pay are considered to have been abandoned. Despite informing Bahraini maritime authorities about the situation, the ITF has seen no action taken to hold the company accountable. The failure of Bahrain to ratify the Maritime Labour Convention deprives seafarers on Bahrain-registered vessels of essential protections. The ITF has contacted Gard, a provider of financial security for these ships, to ensure seafarers receive compensation if the company fails to meet its obligations.

If Hadi H Al Hamman Establishment does not fulfill its contractual obligations to its crew, the ITF will seek to activate the financial security covering the vessels. Financial security is a requirement of the Maritime Labour Convention, and even vessels registered in Bahrain often have this cover. The ITF highlighted the common occurrence of seafarers remaining unpaid during such disputes, emphasizing the need for prompt resolution to ensure seafarers’ rights are protected.

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