NOT BY SHIP CREWS

Seafarers should not be forced to help lash the cargo of their ships. This is apparent from a decision of the Rotterdam District Court. This stipulated that a collective labor agreement that lashing, securing the cargo on the ships, may only be performed by qualified port personnel.

The so-called lashing clause means that if there are port personnel, the ship’s crew may not do the lashing themselves. That agreement was made in 2018 and has been in effect since the beginning of 2020.G

Marlow, a sort of temp agency for ship’s crew, and an unnamed ship owner let their staff secure the cargo themselves. They must now adhere to the international agreement on pain of a penalty. The case was brought by FNV Havens and the international unions ITF International and Nautilus International.