International coalition completes repatriation of over 600 i-Kiribati seafarers
The full repatriation of over 600 i-Kiribati seafarers to Tarawa, capital of the Republic of Kiribati, has been completed, according to International Chamber of Shipping's release.
Six seafarers have touched down in Tarawa, marking the end of a two-year period of repatriation blighted by pandemic-related restrictions and delays.
The repatriation was led by a coalition of employers, unions and NGOs, in tandem with the government of Kiribati, who successfully navigated global travel restrictions and shifting covid protocols, to return the seafarers home.
At the start of 2022, 73 seafarers were repatriated in groups of around 10 on flights chartered by the Kiribati government, employers, and a religious organisation that supports seafarers.
The coalition was convened by the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), bringing together the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF), South Pacific Marine Services (SPMS), including Hamburg Süd and Reederei Leonhard & Blumberg, and UN representatives from the International Labour Organization (ILO) and International Maritime Organization (IMO).
During the pandemic, Kiribati operated a ‘zero-covid’ policy, implementing total lockdowns to inbound travel. Due to unequitable global distributions of PPE, covid treatments, and vaccines, the government of Kiribati employed border closures as their main defense against the virus.
The ICS recently commissioned a report with Hamburg Business University to evaluate the scope of the crisis and mitigation of a recurrence. The Perfect Storm report defines the necessary actions governments and international organisations must take to prevent another humanitarian crisis and disruptions to the global supply chain.
The report notes Australia, China, India, and Japan as responsible for the worst treatment of seafarers during the height of the pandemic.
The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) is the principal international trade association for merchant shipowners and operators, representing all sectors and trades and over 80% of the world merchant fleet.
