IMO held Extraordinary Council Session

On 10 and 11 March 2022 the International Maritime Organization (IMO) held an extraordinary session of its Council to discuss the impacts on shipping and seafarers of the Russia-Ukraine war. The Council proposed a number of steps to reduce the suffering of seafarers and their families:

• any form of harassment of seafarers due to their nationality should be condemned;

• seafarers affected by the conflict should be allowed free access to communication with their families;

• States should ensure that seafarers are able to access their wages;

• States should acknowledge the key worker status of seafarers and allow their unrestricted movement;

• taking into account the key worker status of seafarers, States involved should strongly consider exempting their seafarers from mandatory military service; and

• where port State control officers are presented with expired documentation, a pragmatic approach to the inspection should be taken, considering the exceptional nature of the situation.

Click here for more information.