![This will display this page in a printable format.]()
EMAIL THIS
IS THE UK A FLAG OF CONVENIENCE?
Thursday, 28 October 2004
THE second issue of the specialist shipping industry magazine Maritime Manning and Training made a big impression with delegates at the recent International Shipping Federation conference held in London recently.
Among the topics covered that attracted their attention was whether a decision by the International Transport Workers' Federation to designate the UK register as a "flag of convenience" (FOC) on a case-by-case basis would have any impact on the UK fleet. Steve Todd, national secretary of the union representing UK ratings, RMT, says: "We have evidence of UK-registered vessels employing overseas seafarers on half the minimum wage, all too often working dangerously long hours, and even longer tours of duty than UK seafarers. It is scandalous that these shipowners should be allowed to fly the Red Ensign and to receive handouts from UK taxpayers through the tonnage tax scheme."
A spokesman for the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency responds: "Industry, flag states and classification societies now talk about and are addressing 'sub-standard' ships and the causes of sub-standard ships. As such anachronistic phrases such as 'flag of convenience' have little relevance or meaning today and consequently the MCA does not believe declaring certain UK ships as FOC will have a significant impact on the UK Register. The MCA does however welcome the work the ITF, RMT and other trade unions do in endeavouring to raise standards globally and recognises that much still needs to be done in this regard, particularly on ships flying the flag of less reputable administrations."
The front cover of Maritime Manning and Training features the container ship Hatsu Envoy, operated by the Evergreen Group's UK-based subsdiary Hatsu Marine. The topical commentary page "Signing On" observes: "Back in the nineties there was a debate as to whether the UK should abandon its nationality requirements for senior officers on ships flying the Red Ensign. Not surprisingly the British unions argued against the idea, and lost - the last defeat in a campaign originally aimed at keeping complete UK crews on national-flag vessels.
"If they had won the UK flag would today be flown by a few coastal vessels and probably not much else.Instead the Red Ensign is a now a high quality open register. If you choose to call it a flag of convenience, up to you. Crucially it�s not a convenient flag for bad owners, those who cut corners. But the Hatsu Envoy, featured on our front cover, would not be flying the Red Duster if the old rules were still in place.
"There was a stark choice between keeping a ship management base, rebuilding a sizable fleet and retaining some sea-going employment on the one hand and losing it all on the other. There was no real alternative a decade ago and there certainly isn�t now."
The Winter issue of Maritime Manning and Training also carries news reports and in-depth articles on a wide range of issues, ranging from crew welfare and the new ILO Super Convention through safe bridge manning to the views of the Peter Cremers, boss of major international shipmanager Anglo Eastern and the latest initiative by the Association of Maritime Education and Training Institutions in Asia Pacific (AMETIAP).
This informative quarterly magazine is available on subscription and can also be seen in its entirety on its website .
|
