For more than five months, Ukrainian seafarers who were in Ukraine when martial law was imposed have not been able to leave the country to begin work on ships.
Despite the numerous efforts made by the MTWTU and the international maritime community to resolve the exceptional border crossing permit for seafarers, the problem is worsening unresolved.
The current situation has already caused a crew changes crisis around the globe.
However, conscientious and responsible employers strive to support seafarers who, due to circumstances, are stranded in the country without means of livelihood.
A great example of an employer that truly cares about its seafarers is the Belgian Exmar Company.
From the very beginning of the Russian invasion, the Company followed the active work of the MTWTU and the Welfare Fund of Maritime Transport 'MORTRANS' to protect the interests of Ukrainian seafarers and their family members.
"At the beginning of 2020, the Company’s management visited the office of our Trade Union. They were pleasantly surprised by the level of social protection that MTWTU provides to seafarers. In the middle of 2022, the Company signed an agreement with our Trade Union to cover several vessels, which is undoubted proof of high confidence in us and our work. Continuing cooperation, the Company turned to us for help in implementing a project to support its seafarers who remained in Ukraine after the Russian invasion.”
“We signed a Memorandum of Cooperation under which Ukrainian seafarers working on the Company's ships, who were affected by the Russian invasion and the current crisis in Ukraine, as well as those in need of immediate financial support, were provided with charitable financial assistance with the direct participation of the Welfare Fund of Maritime Transport 'MORTRANS',” said MTWTU Chairman Oleg Grygoriuk.
In the shortest possible time, the parties' fulfilled their obligations under the Memorandum, and 70 seafarers received the necessary help.
"Exmar has a strong relationship with the Ukrainian maritime community and it has been our honor to provide support for our seafarers at home. Thanks to MTWTU and ‘MORTRANS’ for making this possible," said Captain Claude Maerten, Director at Exmar Shipmanagement.
Today, when people need support more than ever, the Trade Union and the Welfare Fund do everything to help.
We express our sincere gratitude to Exmar Shipmanagement for their support of Ukrainian seafarers.
We urge other employers, who during the years of cooperation with Ukrainian seafarers had an opportunity to evaluate their professionalism, not to stand aside and help those who faithfully performed their duties and, unfortunately, now find themselves in difficult circumstances.
