CUS NEWS REPORT FOR WEEK 52 OF 2024

“In order to combat water and soil pollution in the Port of Amsterdam, a restriction on the use of open-loop scrubbers will apply from 1 January 2025. The ban applies on ships that are berthed. There, the discharge of the washing water is most locally concentrated,” it said on its website. 

In the case of a hybrid scrubber system, seagoing vessels must switch to closed-loop, or switch to another cleaner fuel that meets the sulphur environmental standards, such as Marine Gas Oil.

In 2023, approximately 100 seagoing vessels with an open-loop scrubber called at the Port of Amsterdam. In addition to Amsterdam, the ban already is in place in the ports of Antwerp, Hamburg, French and several Scandinavian ports. 

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• Member States facilitate the prompt repatriation of abandoned seafarers and cooperate to ensure that seafarers engaged to replace seafarers who have been abandoned in their territory, or on a ship flying their flag, shall be accorded their rights and entitlements under the MLC, 2006.

Accommodation and recreational facilities/Access to shore-based welfare facilities

• Seafarers are provided with appropriate social connectivity on board;
• Shipowners, so far as is reasonably practicable, provide seafarers on board their ships with internet access with charges, if any, being reasonable in amount. Port States do the same for seafarers on board ships in their ports and at their associated anchorages. 

Food and catering

• Good quality drinking water is available free of charge for seafarers;
• Meals provided are balanced;
• Supplies of food and drinking water are inspected in relation to their quantity, quality, nutritional value, quality and variety.

Medical care on board ship and ashore

• Seafarers are promptly disembarked when they are in need of immediate medical care and are given access to medical facilities ashore in cases of, among others, any serious injury or disease, any injury involving broken bones, severe bleeding, broken or inflamed teeth or severe burns; severe pain which cannot be managed on board ship and suicide risk;
• Member States facilitate the repatriation by the shipowner of the body or ashes of seafarers who have died on board. 

Health and safety protection and accident prevention

• Seafarers have appropriately-sized personal protective equipment, in particular to suit the increasing number of women seafarers;
• All deaths of seafarers are recorded and reported annually to the ILO and the relevant data is published.

Financial security

• The documentary evidence of financial security includes the name of the registered owner if different from the shipowner.

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