The UAE Federal Transport Authority (FTA) – Land and Maritime has issued a circular requiring all UAE-flagged ships trading internationally and all ships over 200 gross tonnes operating in UAE waters to have a contract of insurance to cover seafarers in event of abandonment, death or injury.
Under the new measures, which will take effect on 20 February, ships must have proof of insurance for up to four months’ owed wages and entitlements. Any ship not complying with the requirement will not be allowed to anchor at or call on UAE ports.
The move comes as newly elected IMO Council member UAE prepares to ratify the Maritime Labour Convention which, as of January 2017, requires ships subject to the MLC to display proof of such financial security measures.
The country has been fiercely criticised for an increasing number of abandonment cases in UAE waters. With the aim of dealing with the negative trend, FTA officials announced that they would push for the UAE to ratify the Maritime Labour Convention 2006, and teamed up with the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) in order to get advice, training and expertise on the issue.
In a statement responding to circular issued by the UAE FTA, Mr David Heindel, Chair of the ITF, seafarers’ section, said: “We are strongly behind the mandate issued by the Federal Transport Authority – Land and Maritime, for the financial protection of seafarers operating in the waters of the UAE.
“Basic rights are being violated on a daily basis by companies operating in this region who not only fail to pay wages, but also fail to provide safe working conditions and enough food and clean water for their seafarers. This mandate makes it clear that shipowners must provide financial protection against abandonment, death or injury.
“This is a huge step forward in a region where, historically, shipowners have been allowed to repeatedly abuse the rights of seafarers. This has to stop and it has to stop now.” M