Gallery: ITF Releases Images of Shocking Safety Breaches on Water

MUA The Greek-owners of the Panamanian-flagged bulk carrier Christine B have not only been underpaying its 19 Filipino crew, but putting their lives at risk making them clean the cargo hold without proper safety harnesses or equipment, according to the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF). Namely, ITF released images showing Christine Bs crew cleaning the cargo hold by standing unsecured on planks of wood which have been haphazardly tied on by ropes to the inside of the hold, many metres up in the air. ITF National Coordinator Dean Summers says this highly dangerous job was done while at sea, putting the crew’s lives in further jeopardy. “This is yet another example of the atrocious alternative to national flagged shipping and a warning of worse to come under deregulated shipping,” Summers said. ITF secured USD 30,000 backpay for the crew, who have been on board the Christine B for 14 months. The 2009-built Christine B is berthed along side the Skyfall, the FOC vessel chartered by Pacific Aluminium, which does not have an ITF agreement protecting its seafarers most basic rights. Skyfall, operated by another Greek company Prime Bulk Ship Management has replaced the Australian manned CSL Melbourne, carrying domestic product between Gladstone and Newcastle. In addition, Pacific Aluminium has sacked its Aussie crew aboard CSL Melbourne and replaced it by a foreign crew. “The ITF has not only been denied access to Skyfall by its Greek owners, but Pacific Aluminium is refusing to reveal who heads up their shipping department,” Summers added. “The entire operation is top secret and we fear for the safety and welfare of the crew and their families.” This was the second time in the past four months that an Australian crew was removed from their vessel and replaced by a foreign crew working for lower wages.