PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
SEAFARERS' RIGHTS (22 June 2015)

That this House is appalled by the plight of Indonesian, Filipino and Romanian seafarers stranded in Newport, Wales on the Italian-flagged cargo ship Sunflower E which was arrested on 10 March due to the shipowner's unpaid debts, the eighth case this year of a ship being detained in a UK port owing to dubious financing; is deeply concerned that the Sunflower E's 13 crew are owed nearly four months wages and live in deteriorating conditions onboard, in blatant contravention of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC); welcomes and supports the intervention of inspectors from the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) in highlighting this case, and attempting to retrieve wages owed and secure safe passage home for these seafarers; notes that 32 per cent of the 7,500 vessels inspected by the ITF across the world in 2013-14 breached the MLC's provisions, particularly on wages and repatriation; and calls upon the Government to contact the Italian Registry to ensure the seafarers on the Sunflower E are paid and supported in travelling home to their families, in compliance with the MLC and for the rights of abandoned seafarers to be afforded greater priority in domestic and international shipping policy.


Sponsored by:
Paul Flynn (Labour)