A general cargo vessel, the Serafina, was detained in Israel after a shocking number of maritime labor law violations were discovered. The crew of the Palau-flagged Serafina faced deplorable living conditions, prompting swift action by the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF).
According to ITF inspector Assaf Hadar, the conditions aboard the Serafina were the worst he had seen in four years of ship inspections in Israel. "No employment contracts, food storage freezers all above 0° Celsius, the stench of rotten meat, a bug infestation, and broken sanitation facilities – these are some of the inhumane conditions seafarers face aboard the general cargo vessel, the Serafina," stated the ITF.
The vessel was detained by Israeli maritime authorities following Hadar’s inspection, which revealed 29 defects, 18 of which were severe enough to warrant detention on their own. Haifa’s Port State Control (PSC) took immediate action to ensure the safety and welfare of the crew.
“This is an absolute disgrace that seafarers are forced to work in these inhumane conditions,” Hadar said. The Serafina, flagged to Palau, is listed as a 'Flag of Convenience' by the ITF, indicating it is one of the worst flags operating in the Mediterranean Sea.
The crew, consisting of 12 members from Turkey and five others from Egypt and Azerbaijan, faced severe hardships on board. They endured a bug and flea infestation, an empty fish freezer, a stinking meat freezer, and a vegetable freezer set at 9°C. The ablution facilities were equally appalling, with flooded showers and broken toilets held together by steel wire.
Hadar has ensured that portable toilets and showers are available for the crew on the dockside, and efforts are underway to repatriate the seafarers to their home countries. "Seafarers have a right to decent working conditions. The ITF and its inspectors will always stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them in demanding that their rights are respected," Hadar asserted.
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