MWUN decries poor conditions of seafarers on board Ship & Shore vessels

The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has decried the deplorable living conditions of its seafarer members on board vessels, MT Bawarza, a tanker vessel, and two tug boats Battle Axe and MT Spain, belonging to the Ship & Shore Services Ltd.

The Union said the dehumanizing living conditions of its members who are bonafide crews on board Ship & Shore Services’ vessels in Lagos was recently brought to the notice of its leadership.

The President -General of the Union, Comrade Francis Bunu Abi, vowed not to allow the matter lie low, stressing that no employer of labour in the maritime sector would operate with such impunity by violating and compromising the safety standards of seafarers on board vessels, providing unhygienic health facilities, poor and deplorable living conditions with absolute ignominy.

The MWUN PG also noted with dismay how these crew members were being treated inhumanly on board these vessels, exposing them to all kinds of infections and other communicable disease on a daily basis, thereby compromising their health with outright disregard for safety and efficiency standards of the aforementioned vessels belonging to Ship & Shore Services Ltd.

He said every seafarer has the right to a safe and secure workplace which complies with safety, health, and humane living standards; which were grossly neglected in by Ship & Shore.

“The Union will not in any measure let this issues of total negligence on the seafarers’ and also the disrepair state of the vessels to fizzle away as the matter has been reported to the appropriate government agency for immediate intervention,” said the President General.