World Maritime Day and the plight of merchant mariners

Thursday, September 24, was World Maritime Day, a time set aside by the United Nations through its International Maritime Organization to honor the work of more than 2 million merchant mariners from all domestic and international points.

In advance of this theoretically celebratory day, American Maritime Officers, the Seafarers International Union of North America, the Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association, the International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots, the Seafarers Section of the International Transport Workers' Federation and 11 other labor, industry and faith-based organizations alerted Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin), House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-Mississippi), Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Ranking Member Gary Peters (D-Michigan) and House Homeland Security Committee Ranking Member Mike Rogers (R-Alabama) to the human element at sea during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"You have numerous pressing issues to address, and it is our unfortunate duty to bring one more to your attention - seafarer physical and mental health," the maritime coalition wrote to the lawmakers September 22. The letter referred to "this global problem, which is all too apparent at many U.S. seaports."

The coalition said that, while government-ordered "lockdowns and other restrictions" in the U.S. and overseas are intended to limit coronavirus contagion, airport closures, sealed borders and international travel restrictions have kept mariners "locked aboard their ships well beyond their contract expiration dates."

The coalition continued: "About 300,000 seafarers have remained aboard their vessels, some for as long as 17 months. Now they are desperate to get home. An equal number has been waiting to join their ships, unable to earn a living to support their families."

The letter acknowledged that ship owners and operators "have been attempting to rotate their crews," but have been thwarted by "limited choices for airports and flights and government policies which prevent departure of offsigning crew."

These factors "place human life and property in jeopardy as overworked, overtired mariners are more likely to make mistakes that can cause accidents," the coalition continued. "Until owners can safely and efficiently change out crewmembers, the risks to America's fragile supply chain, including critical relief supplies, and to seafarers' mental health will continue to grow."

The coalition proposed "top-down leadership" in the Department of Homeland Security's Customs and Border Protection unit to ease crew rotations on U.S. and foreign-flagged ships in U.S. ports.