Trade unions are doing their best to help the crews of Russian ships that have been restricted from entering European ports due to sanctions. This was reported by the Chairman of the Far Eastern Regional Organization of the Russian Seafarers’ Union, Nikolay Sukhanov.
As part of the fifth package of sanctions, since April 16, the EU has closed its ports to ships flying the Russian flag and ships that changed their Russian flag or registration after February 24. An exception is made for the transportation of agricultural and food products, energy carriers, as well as pharmacological and humanitarian goods.
“Vessels under the Russian flag cannot actually enter European ports, they are not allowed access there. As a result, the sailors are on board and cannot go ashore. Such conditions have been created that even when a vessel under the flag of the Russian Federation enters a foreign port, the vessel is prohibited from processing, the crew is prohibited from going ashore,” he said.
According to Sukhanov, the sailors began to complain to the trade union about violations of their rights and working conditions, so the trade union helps them whenever possible, looking for opportunities to contact the authorities, international trade unions, and seafarers’ unions of specific countries.
“And with the assistance of the seafarers’ unions of Holland, Germany, France, Great Britain, it is possible to solve certain problems,” Sukhanov noted.
Ru-Main, 11.04.2022
Source: Interfax
