Representatives of the International Federation of Transport Workers (ITF) boarded Ever Date on Sunday in the large bitter lake of the Suez Canal for a check on the well-being of its crew.
Health and welfare checks are taking place as the ship remains anchored in the Suez Canal in detention by canal authorities for a $ 916 million claim. The Ever Give has been anchored in the Great Bitter Lake since the ship was re-floated on March 29.
The ITF reports that the ship’s crew is in “good spirits”, has a lot of provisions and is up to date on payment.
“We are pleased to inform the world that the Ever Date crew is in good condition and doing well. The crew was delighted to see Egyptian ITF union officials, who greeted them and expressed their solidarity with the global marine family, “said Mohamed Arrachedi, coordinator of the ITF World Arab and Iran network.
“The crew is sensitive to understand at the moment, while waiting to see what will happen to the quarrels between the authorities and other parties. They are eager to sail or know that they will be able to go home and see their families if the ship cannot leave Egypt soon. They are relieved to know that the ITF is on their side “, said Arrachedi.
The ITF also reported that no salaries or breaches of sailors’ contracts were found and that the entire crew had received their salaries for March. The crew also had sufficient food supplies and were provided with devices for the crew to connect to the internet.
“I was in contact with the crew and no welfare issues were raised at the moment. We continue to monitor the situation and the crew knows that we are available to support where it is needed “, said Arrachedi.
The navigators on board are represented by the National Union of Navigators of India (NUSI). The ship reportedly had 25 crew members, although the Suez Canal Authority reported last week that two crew members were allowed to return home for “urgent” personal matters.
“We urge the Egyptian authorities to clarify that the entire Ever Date 25 crew will be allowed to leave at the normal conclusion of their contracts,” NUSI Secretary-General Abdulgani Y Serang said. “We cannot have a situation where the crew is effectively held hostage, because the financial negotiations that do not concern the sailors continue between the parties.”
David Heindel, president of the ITF section for seafarers, highlighted the situation of seafarers in the last year, amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“First the pandemic and then the crew change crisis turned sailors’ lives upside down, especially when governments introduced travel and border restrictions. Some sailors have been stranded working on the same ships for more than a year beyond the initial contracts, ”said Heindel.
“We should remember that sailors have kept the world going through the worst health and economic crises we have faced at Covid. Many of these sailors would rightly feel quite upset if, after all their sacrifices, their profession is unfairly associated with an event that is clearly beyond their control, ”Heindel added.
“It’s time to treat sailors as key workers with the respect they deserve – and we can start by welcoming every Ever Give crew member home to their families when the contracts are completed,” he said.