Voyages of Abuse: Seafarers, Human Rights and International Shipping (Labour & Society International)

Many merchant seamen around the world are, by and large, deprived of basic human rights. Often drawn from the poorest countries for the lowest rates of pay, they are frequently at the mercy of rogue shipowners who operate substandard and often dangerous vessels and who, in their reckless pursuit of profits, not only drive down the conditions of seafarers, but undermine the viability of decent shipping companies. This book details the deplorable conditions that exist in a minority sector of international shipping operating mainly, although not exclusively, under flags of convenience. In an account of human rights abuses that would be little tolerated on the mainland, the authors demonstrate that governments often pay little attention to cases of robbery, abandonment, deprivation and even death perpetrated by shipowners on vessels bearing their national flag. The financial and shipping institutions that support rogue shipowners are also prepared to ignore the plight of the individual seafarer serving on the ships under their tenure. The book draws on three case studies to illustrate the issues, including a perspective on South Adriatic Tankers and examples of management and finance in merchant shipping. The authors also examine the plight of seafarers' families, who are particularly vulnerable, and the legal rights of abused and abandoned seafarers. They conclude by arguing for a global governance of shipping.