ETF Maritime

05/10/2026

Last week in Panama, we joined trade unions from across the world at the ITF Fisheries and Inland Waterways Conferences – exchanging experiences, strengthening cooperation and bringing the European perspective to the global debate.

🎣 For Fisheries, we highlighted our work at European level and discussed challenges shared by fishers across the world:
⚓ Fair and transparent recruitment practices
⚓ Decent working conditions and fair pay across all fleets
⚓ Safety at sea and the importance of proper training
⚓ Zero tolerance for violence and harassment on board

🚢 For Inland Waterways, the discussions focused on the state of the industry and how we can build stronger unions and greater industrial power. We also addressed the growing impact of environmental challenges, particularly drought, the ITF’s work on inland waterways at ILO level and – fittingly for our host country – the crucial role of the Panama Canal in global maritime transport and supply chains.

ETF also presented the work we are driving forward in Europe:
⏱️ Mandatory registration of working and resting time
🤝 Better social security coordination
🚢 EU-wide crewing rules
🌊 Stronger trade union cooperation across the Danube region
✊ Action against violence and harassment at work

An important outcome was the adoption of a dedicated motion supporting the joint ITF–ETF European River Cruise Campaign. This gives further international support to our work to strengthen trade union organisation, improve working conditions and better protect the rights of river cruise workers across borders.

🌍 Solidarity knows no borders. From Europe to Panama and across the world, we will continue working hand in hand with the ITF and our trade union family to defend decent work, safety and fundamental rights for every transport worker.

30/09/2026

29/09/2026

Nikolaos Koletsis, ETF Senior Policy Officer for Maritime Transport, joined today's conference on “The Role of Civil Shipping in Total Defence”, organised by LO Norge and ETF-affiliated unions Norsk Sjømannsforbund and Norsk Sjøoffisersforbund. He delivered a clear message:
⚓ Europe cannot secure its supply chains, guarantee its energy autonomy and credibly plan for military mobility without seafarers and without knowing who will operate its ships when a crisis comes.
⚓ The decline in EU nationally qualified seafarers and EU national-flagged merchant vessels can undermine strategic military logistics and supply-chain reliability during crises, conflicts and emergencies. European seafarers must be placed at the core of Europe’s maritime security and maritime resilience strategy.
⚓ There is an urgent need to address the current recruitment and retention crisis in maritime transport, to attract nationally and EU-qualified officers and ratings. Recruitment begins with attractive careers. Retention depends on decent and sustainable working conditions.

25/09/2026

Without a timely renewal of the EU-Mauritania Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement, there will be serious economic and social consequences. Crew members will lose their jobs and the void will be filled by third countries fleets that do not apply decent environmental and social standards.

Read more on this on our website:
https://www.etf-europe.org/news/europeche-and-etf-call-timely-renewal-eu-mauritania-fisheries-protocol

24/09/2026

On 22–23 September, ETF maritime trade unions came together in Brussels for two packed days of meetings of the Maritime Transport Section, MT EU Committee and Maritime Transport Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee.

From preparing our Section for the ETF Congress 2027 to defending seafarers’ rights across Europe and beyond, our discussions covered a wide range of priorities, including:

⚓ Solidarity with our Polish maritime affiliates — Federacja Związków Zawodowych Marynarzy i Rybaków, Krajowa Sekcja Morska Marynarzy i Rybaków NSZZ Solidarność OZZOiM Polish Seafarers' Union — in response to proposed amendments to Poland’s Act on Work at Sea and related maritime legislation. ETF and its affiliates raised serious concerns about the potential impact on seafarers’ rights, equal treatment, maritime safety and the implementation of the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC 2006).

⚓ An exchange with DG HOME on the problems seafarers are experiencing with the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) and its full implementation from 10 April 2026

⚓ The situation in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz and its implications for seafarers

⚓ Implementation of the current ETF–ECSA Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee Work Programme and preparations for the next one

⚓ Preparations for the ETF Congress 2027 and the priorities of our Maritime Transport Section

And much more!

A big thank you to all participants for two days of lively discussions, solidarity and valuable contributions. Together, we continue working for fair, safe and decent maritime transport for all workers.

22/09/2026

🚨 High fuel prices are putting fishers' livelihoods and jobs at risk.
Since most fishers are paid through the share-catch system, escalating fuel costs are directly deducted from a vessel's revenue. This means a drastic drop in crew members' take-home pay. Many vessels are even forced to stay in port, leaving fishers without work or a reliable income.
To protect workers and coastal communities, ETF and Europêche have sent an urgent joint letter to Commissioner Kadis and relevant EU institutions.

We are calling on the European Commission to:
🔹 Extend the temporary state aid framework beyond 31 December 2026.
🔹 Apply support per vessel to fairly reflect actual operational costs.
🔹 Provide additional EU funding, as many national EMFAF allocations are already exhausted.
Immediate support to workers is vital right now to defend decent wages and ensure the survival of our coastal economies.
Read the full details on our website: https://www.etf-europe.org/news/high-fuel-prices-endanger-fishers-livelihoods-and-jobs-etf-together-its-social-partner

Following discussions between trade unions, employers and authorities that took place at national level on the raising concerns on high fuel prices and their impact on the fisheries sector, EU social partners ETF and Europêche addressed a letter to Commissioner Kadis and relevant EU institutions, a...

21/09/2026

The European Parliament recently adopted an important resolution on the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). What does this mean for the workers?

We welcome the Parliament's call to balance the social, economic and environmental pillars of sustainability. We cannot talk about the future of fisheries without talking about the people who work at sea.

Some of our key demands were heard:

• Better safety and comfort on board: The Parliament supports revising fishing capacity rules. Adding space for better cabins, proper toilets and safety equipment must not count as "fishing capacity". Better living conditions are basic rights, not tools to catch more fish!

• Less bureaucracy: The massive administrative burden on fishers, especially in small-scale fisheries, must be reduced. It is disproportionate and it pushes young generations away from the sector.

• A level playing field: Imported seafood must respect the same social and environmental standards as EU products. We need to protect EU jobs and promote sustainable fisheries worldwide.

This is a good step forward, but the fight continues. We urge the European Commission to take these suggestions on board and ensure that any upcoming proposal on the CFP includes a strong social dimension with clear targets to protect employment and attract young workers.

More info here: https://www.etf-europe.org/news/european-parliament-resolution-cfp-fishers-voices-are-left-behind

18/08/2026

🌊 Europe wants to move more freight by inland waterways. But modal shift needs waterways – and workers – that can withstand a changing climate.

The current low water levels on European rivers are another reminder that ambitious targets alone are not enough.

Europe needs sustained investment in navigable waterways and resilient infrastructure, alongside innovation and new technologies. And resilience cannot mean asking workers to compensate through longer hours, greater flexibility or increased workloads.

As the EU’s NAIADES III Action Plan approaches the end of its implementation period, its follow-up must put climate resilience and the human dimension at its heart.

Because there can be no resilient inland waterways without a skilled, protected and valued workforce.

The current low water levels underline a fundamental challenge for European transport policy: if Europe wants to shift more freight towards inland waterways, it must ensure that the sector can remain reliable, competitive and socially sustainable in a changing climate.

16/07/2026

No Ocean Board without the workers!

The European Commission has excluded maritime and fisheries worker representation from the European Ocean Board. Together with our social partner Europêche, we have sent a joint letter to Commissioner Costas Kadis to protest this unacceptable decision.

The Ocean Board currently includes no representation of workers from the fisheries, maritime, and port sectors, even though environmental groups and various industry representatives have been given seats.

⚓︎ Workers are not an afterthought: The Commission's suggestion to consult trade unions only as "additional experts" on an ad-hoc basis is not enough. The social dimension must be an integral part of ocean governance.

⚓︎ No discussions on blue economy future without us: We cannot have a serious discussion about the blue economy while ignoring the men and women who make it possible.

⚓︎ Socio-economic viability is key: Environmental sustainability and decent working conditions must go hand in hand.

We urge the European Commission to immediately reconsider this decision and formally include the ETF as a full member of the European Ocean Board.

✉️ Read the joint letter
https://u.pcloud.link/publink/show?code=XZKylr5ZBC3ttFEPtSp73Vk5TupDahgoOPQV

📰 Read the Press Release
https://www.etf-europe.org/etf-and-its-social-partner-europeche-denounce-exclusion-from-the-european-ocean-board/

ETF and Europêche have strongly criticised the European Commission's decision to exclude maritime and fisheries worker representation from the newly established European Ocean Board

09/07/2026

🏗️ Working Together. Much Safer ✊🏽❤️

This week in Rotterdam, the ETF proudly launched the first training session of the EU-funded project "Working Together. Much Safer", bringing together dock workers and trade union representatives from ports across Europe.

We marked the beginning of a shared journey to strengthen occupational safety and health in the port sector through knowledge, cooperation and practical learning.

Participants exchanged experiences, discussed common challenges, and explored solutions to make Europe's ports safer workplaces for everyone. Because safety is a shared responsibility, improving working conditions requires the commitment of workers, trade unions, employers and all stakeholders across the sector.

This is only the first step: together, we are building stronger safety skills, fostering social dialogue, and laying the foundations for the European Network for Safety in Ports.

🟥 Thanks to all participants for your enthusiasm, engagement and valuable contributions. We look forward to the next training sessions and to continuing this important work together 💪🏼