Sailors of the world, they sounded the sirens and called the next generation

Text by: Géraud Bosman-Delzons Follow

It is a somewhat special Labor Day for some 150,000 sailors from around the world stranded on board, awaiting a replacement that is slow to come. Like these French sailors forced to extend their missions off the coast of Africa. For Jean-Emmanuel Sauvée, who represents the armaments industry in France, the situation "is starting to become critical".

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"TTTTÔÔÔÔTT". From the frail skiff to the juggernaut, from Saint-Malo to Java, from Shanghai to Durban, the millions of vessels that crisscross the planet sounded their sirens at midday. Sailors do not want to be the forgotten ones of the pandemic and they make it known, loudly. Without them, they say, the commerce, consumption and food of Earthlings is simply impossible. And for good reason: 90% of goods are transported by sea. From flat screen television ... to artificial respirators, including thermometers or masks, but also foodstuffs, petroleum and raw materials.

To sound the fog horns is therefore "  an opportunity to pay tribute to the 1.6 million sea workers who work to maintain the global supply chain  ", proclaims in a press release published on April 30 the International Maritime Chamber ( ICS), at the initiative of operation #HeroesAtSeaShoutout (The howling of the heroes of the sea). 

Singapore at 1200 local today 01 May - brilliant for our #HeroesAtSeaShoutout pic.twitter.com/5xvtgehrZD

#HeroesAtSeaShoutout @BrittanyFerries blew the fog horns of its ships in tribute to sailors 🚢📢 @ shippingics @EU_shipping @jmrouebferries pic.twitter.com/Q59387kODx

"  Towards the docks [...], they arrive with their stomachs weighed down with fruit, the boats  ", sang the late Charles Aznavour: if consumption and world trade brutally stalled at the start of this year, loading and unloading continue, despite the pressure put on the ports, despite the drastic sanitary conditions. The roads remain very densely used by bulk carriers, container ships and other submarine cabling vessels, essential for the routing of 99% digital data from the globe (see our web documentary An ocean of cables ). As this map of maritime traffic shows in real time .

Densely populated shipping routes: 90% of the world's goods are transported by boat. MarineTraffic

"Trapped at sea"

If the ships continue to ping with their cargoes, and "the seafarers" cannot disembark, it means that they continue to work. However, a crew is not intended to wander ad vitam aeternam on the seas and aspires to rest, to find homes, sooner or later - journeys last from a few weeks to eleven months maximum, according to the Maritime Labor Convention of the ILO.

Thus, at present, 150,000 of them in the world could claim to be relieved, affirms the ICS. Or 50% more than since their last estimate in late March. Instead, contracts are extended,   endangering the safety and mental health of seafarers. This inability to ensure the rotations on board of the boats also runs a real risk of not being able to deliver vital cargoes at a time when the countries need it most  , ”warns the international organization.

For the European Shipowners Association (Ecsa), these sailors are "  trapped at sea  ". Because how can a seafarer who links America to Southeast Asia return home, when many ports are forbidden to disembark people, the borders are closed, the planes are grounded and his relief is confined to her anyway? "  The situation is extremely complex and is becoming critical,  " exclaims Jean-Emmanuel Sauvée, who took the reins of the Armateurs de France in the midst of a storm (read box). “  A French crew took four days to return to Bordeaux from the Persian Gulf. Cases like that happen every day, everywhere  . ” According to him, around 5,000 French sailors "  are affected by these succession problems  ".

A tougher situation for foreign contract workers

Illustration with the approximately 300 French sailors that the French company Bourbon Offshore Surf, specialized in the logistics service to oil platforms, deploys in Africa. Among them, a certain number is affected off Gabon, Angola and Congo-Brazzaville and is waiting to be relayed. The shipowner, contacted this Friday by RFI, confirms that several "  are stuck and have exceeded their contract  ", adding: "  No more in Africa than elsewhere, and no more with us than with others. But they understand it pretty well. We started to take over a fortnight ago and three more are scheduled,  "said the company, which" is  working hard with governments and our customers  "to resolve the situation.

At Bourbon, the 2,000 sailors sail two months maximum, whatever the level. An employee of the company, who was due to return at the end of March, confided his difficulties to AFP: "  family distance, cumulative fatigue, high risk of contracting the disease, no return date ...  ". But - and this is not unique to this shipping company - it is often more painful for workers of other nationalities, Russian, Filipino or Chinese. “  When you get to four months, it's hard, especially mentally, says the commander of the Argonaut , Bertrand Le Moenner, who has just returned from his mission started on March 4. We think of a lot of things: how is it going at home ? For the French, it is not super dramatic. For Poles, Africans, foreigners it is less easy.  In fact, to make matters worse, they are generally remunerated at the mission, as a freelance. In other words, if the next generation is not for their colleagues on board, they are not hired.

“ International coordination ” for “ essential workers ”

" It is clear that the changes are extremely complicated, "  says Jean-Emmanuel Sauvée. It is imperative that merchant ships continue to turn. But the longer seafarers stay at sea, the more they tire, and fatigue can affect safety. One, two, three more months on your boat, away from your family, imagine the state of mind! Certainly they are professionals, but this is something else. It is the unintentional trap of this invisible virus that does a lot of damage. Sailors must therefore be considered as priority personnel; they must absolutely go home. We must have new crews, fresh and rested, who can embark on ships with an optimal level of security.  "

An appeal that echoes that of the Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Kitack Lim, who asked 174 member states to recognize seafarers as "  essential workers  " and to "  lift national travel restrictions for them so that they can join their families at the end of their contract  "

Following the IMO, Armateurs de France therefore rings the fog horns in its turn: “  When a Romanian sailor has to return to Constanta, it's almost impossible at the moment, the country is closed. International coordination is urgently needed to set up the next generation of crews,  ”concludes Jean-Emmanuel Sauvée.

"You are not alone. You are not forgotten, "said the IMO Secretary General in a personal message to seafarers. Details: https://t.co/c05oJw5D3Y #coronavirus # covid19 #essential workers #marines pic.twitter.com / F9d3aFFjHq

♦ Three questions for ... Jean-Emmanuel Sauvée,
president of the Armateurs de France

The co-founder of Compagnie du Ponant was elected on April 7 to head this organization which brings together service and maritime transport companies.

What meaning do you give to this fog horn operation?

2,600 years ago, Plato said that there were three types of people on earth: the dead, the living and those who went to the sea. We could assimilate those who went to the sea at the time to those who are going into space today. Courageous, adventurous men with great values ​​for discovery and risk-taking. The million seafarers present on the 50,000 ships at sea have kept these values ​​in them. This call salutes their commitment.

The dedication and work of the medical staff on the front line are exceptional. But behind, there are those who make this work work: the goods must be transported to feed the populations. Without forgetting the internet, which essentially works via submarine cables, which must be maintained, with equipped ships, it is also a French specialty. In short, everything happens at sea, it is the life of the world economy. It is greatly slowed down, but it should especially not stop, it would be a drama.

French shipowners are 1,200 ships scattered around the world, between those under the French flag and those we control. We asked them to activate their fog horns, to salute the commitment of the sailors and so that they too could have the opportunity to greet, from a distance, their families for which they are worried, like everyone else.

Does the crisis pose social risks for the sector?

Today, there is nothing that would go in this direction. Our best doctors have trouble imagining what can happen in a fortnight, in a month, in two months, our governors too. So you have to be very modest, it would be very risky to make forecasts. It is not anyone's will. We hope to return to normal economic activity as soon as possible, even if it will be somewhat degraded. Of course, there are some extremely volatile sectors, such as dry bulk for transporting ore, soybeans, which may experience overcapacity in relation to transport needs around the world. This will play on the economic models of certain armaments. Vigilance is therefore great because the danger is certain. Depending on the sector, this varies between 10 and 50% drop in activity, but up to 95% in the case of cruise lines and passenger transport companies. In France, each year, 40 million people are transported by boat: 27.5 million coastal tourists, 3 million on oil platforms around the world, another French specialty. 

In Le Figaro , Rodolphe Saadé calls himself in favor of " more balanced world trade ". Is this also your point of view?

Yes, I absolutely agree with this ambition, which exceeds us because all the countries of the world are concerned. After the health crisis will arise the question of the functioning of the world economy. Its model deserves to be redesigned, such as relocating and regionalizing certain activities, where there will be even more need for maritime, including in environmental aspects. This does not mean, however, that we will turn in on ourselves. But we can clearly see the problems posed by this excessive globalization, a little too strong dependencies. In any case the shipowners will be willing to participate since the economy and civilizations have developed thanks to the sailors.

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