- As Union Alliance to Raise Standards at DP World
The Bahamas-flagged bulk carrier St. Gregory ran aground on the south-eastern coast of Peloponnese, Greece in the morning hours of June 7.
The 32,688 dwt vessel, which grounded on the Kokkala beach, was carrying a crew of 19 seafarers, none of whom were injured in the incident, according to the Hellenic Coast Guard.
The coast guard added that there were no reports of water pollution at the site. Divers inspected the vessel, finding breaches to the hull, and the coast guard informed that there were reports of water ingress.
At the time of the incident, the bulk carrier was on its way to the port of Sfax in Tunisia, after departing the Turkish Istanbul anchorage on June 5. According to AIS data provided by MarineTraffic, the 2010-built ship, which was scheduled to arrive at its destination on June 9, is still grounded at the site.
Hellenic Coast Guard informed that the bulker is laden with 31,000 metric tons of sulfur.
Local authorities are monitoring the site, while booms were placed around the 180-meter-long ship to prevent the spread of any possible pollution. The exact cause of the incident is under investigation.
In the meantime, a new global union alliance formed of unions based in DP World terminals is looking to improve standards in health and safety, automation and contract labour.
According to International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), the ITF DP World global union alliance is setting out its first series of objectives during ITF dockers’ conference in Cape Town, South Africa this week.
“This alliance is part of our ongoing response to global multinationals that behave differently depending on whey are operating in the world,” Paddy Crumlin, ITF president and dockers’ section chair, said.
“We are standing up to say that whether you’re in India, Canada, South America or the UK, union busting activities will not be tolerated and there is a global network of unions ready to demonstrate that,” Crumlin added.
The alliance includes 17 unions organising in DP World terminals across the globe.
World Maritime News
