VATICAN: Ahead of Sea Sunday, Cardinal Turkson Calls for Dignified Conditions for Maritimes

Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA

As Churches around the world prepares to mark the Sea Sunday on July 11, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Promotion of Integral Human Development (PIHD) His Eminence Peter Cardinal Turkson has appealed to ships owners, management of companies, agents and recruiters of sea workers to develop good working conditions that respect human dignity.

“We urge the development of working practices which are based on human dignity rather than profit. So, provide everything necessary to improve the mental, physical and spiritual well-being of seafarers,” Cardinal Turkson said in a message published ahead of the celebration.

He has also appealed to the concerned authorities to regard crew members as more than “labour force” and consider them as human beings.

The Vatican-based Ghanaian Cardinal thanked all maritime workers for their essential services during this period of Covid-19 pandemic and asked for God’s continued intervention upon them.

“We thank the people of the Sea for their work, and our gratitude is transformed in our prayer that the Lord grants them strength in moments of weakness, unity in diversity, safe and smooth sailing and, at the end of their contract, happiness to be reunited with their loved ones,” he said.

He narrated further that the world may have come to a standstill but the ships have never stopped sailing from port to port delivering critical medical equipment and medicines to support the fight against the spread of the virus.

“Some 90% of the world trade is carried by ships or more accurately by the 1.7 million seafarers who work on the ships,” he continued.

Based on the continued services offered by sea workers during the pandemic Cardinal Turkson says in his message that international organizations, unions, ship owners, and faith-based groups have appealed several times that seafarers be “recognized as “essential workers” so that crew changes are expedited, and vaccinations are prioritized.”

According to the Cardinal, very few countries have acted to the appeal and implemented a clear policy for seafarers’ vaccinations which has exposed “a deep contradiction in the maritime industry,” where “on one hand, it is highly globalized but, on the other, seafarers’ rights and protection are fragmented between several players who are often not accountable to any higher regulation or authority.”

In the message, Cardinal Turkson also disclosed that “Covid-19 has exacerbated the working and living conditions of hundreds of thousands of seafarers who have been stranded at sea and required to work for many months longer than usual.” A situation that has not only affected the seafarers themselves but also the daily lives of their families.

“The problems of isolation, loneliness, separation and anxiety about family and loved ones, thousands of miles away, together and uncertainty over their future, has increased the physical and psychological stress on board ships, sometime with tragic consequences,” he said.

The celebration of Sea Sunday is marked annually the second Sunday of July as a day meant to pray for seafarers and fishers appreciating their vital role in the society.

Speaking about piracy incidences that have been reported the Cardinal said, “Since January 2021, 38 piracy incidents have been reported including 33 vessels boarded, two attempted attacks, two vessels fired upon, and one vessel hijacked…These are sad reminders of the fragility of a maritime industry, which has already been tested by the pandemic.”

“Seafarers have the right to perform their work without running the risk of being kidnapped, injured or even killed,” he said and added, “Furthermore, piracy disrupt the global economy and the constant threat of danger and harm places considerable stress on seafarers and their families.”

He requested all governments and international organizations “to determine long-lasting solutions to the scourge of piracy, mindful of the need to address the fundamental problem of the inequality in the distribution of goods between countries and the exploitation of natural resources.”

“Moreover, ship-owners should adopt all requisite preventative measures to ensure the safety not only of ships and their cargo, but especially that of seafarers,” the Church leader said.

He also acknowledged the work of Stella Maris chaplains and volunteers who have been at the service of seafarers and fishers throughout the pandemic and prayed for them to be “faithful Apostles to the mission of proclaiming the Gospel by showing the loving face of the Church which also welcomes and makes herself close to this portion of the People of God.”