This year, the ITF Seafarers' Trust celebrates its 40th anniversary.
Over the past four decades, the ITF Seafarers Trust has invested over US $ 250 million in projects to improve the welfare of seafarers. Thus, the Fund successfully finances seafarers’ centers in ports around the world; invests in innovations to improve health and safety on board; sponsors counseling and support programs for seafarers, and funds many other initiatives to improve seafarers’ wellbeing.
In 2020, the ITF Seafarers’ Trust launched an emergency fund to address the impact of the global pandemic on seafarers and their families: £ 1 million was pledged to support seafarers affected by COVID-19.
Recall that Ukrainian seafarers have repeatedly received assistance from the ITF Seafarers’ Trust at the request of the MTWTU. This was assistance to the crews of mv ARIF KAPTAN and mv RACHEL BOCHARD deceived by the shipowner, as well as financial support to seafarers suffering from cancer, allocated by the Fund at the request of the MTWTU.
Also, in 2020, thanks to the support of the ITF and ITF Seafarers’ Trust, the Welfare Fund of Maritime Transport “MORTRANS” and the MTWTU successfully carried out a large-scale STOP COVID-19 campaign. Within the campaign, more than 1,500 families of Ukrainian seafarers and port workers received sets of personal protective equipment for the COVID-19 response.
On the occasion of the anniversary and in gratitude for the long-term fruitful cooperation and active all-round support, the Marine Transport Workers’ Trade Union of Ukraine presented the Head of the ITF Seafarers’ Trust Katie Higginbottom with a commemorative sign.
