SEA SUNDAY AND THE WELFARE OF SEAFARERS

Early day motion 1915, tabled 30 June 2008 by Jim Dobbin (Labour). Signed by 68 members.

That this House in recalling Britain's proud maritime heritage notes that today 90 per cent. of world trade travels by sea, 95 per cent. of the United Kingdom's imports and exports travel by sea, and 146,000 merchant ships arrive in British ports every year contributing to the nearly £40 billion annual turnover of the British maritime sector; acknowledges that the inherent problems for many thousands of merchant seafarers of dangerous conditions, low pay, poor morale, sickness, and separation from family are sometimes exacerbated by exploitative employers sailing under flags of convenience; congratulates the national charity, the Apostleship of the Sea, on its work for the welfare and rights of all seafarers who visit British shores through a network of 26 port chaplains and over 120 volunteers in 57 ports and berthing facilities across Great Britain; extends its best wishes for the organisation's future development; hopes that the Apostleship of the Sea and its ecumenical partners, the Mission to Seafarers and the Sailors' Society, which provide so generously for the welfare of seafarers, benefit from the greater awareness of their mission stimulated by the presentations, prayers and collections associated with Sea Sunday on 13th July; and urges all businesses which import and export goods by sea to be responsible, corporate citizens and encourage their shipping providers to adopt an acceptable minimum level of care for their seafaring employees as advised by the Maritime Labour Convention 2006.

Signatures by party: Labour 43, Liberal Democrat 15, Conservative 5, Independent 1, Plaid Cymru 1, Scottish National Party 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1, UKIP 1.