The Russian flag is in focus

A regular Council was held in the Southern Territorial Organization (STO) of the SUR. On the agenda were issues of cooperation with the company Topaz Astrakhan, the expansion of the work of the Astrakhan primary union organization of the STO, closer cooperation with crewing agencies that employ seafarers from Novorossiysk on ships under the Russian flag.

So, more than a year ago in Novorossiysk a branch of the company INOK TM was opened. The crewing agency employs crewmembers on dry cargo ships, bulk carriers and tankers. Together with Russian shipyards, the company is implementing a fleet renewal program with a high class of automation. «The RSD59 project includes 20 brand new fleet units built in 2018-2020.  Construction is underway at the Krasnoe Sormovo shipyard and the Nevskiy shipyard»,- the representatives of the company said.

In connection with the implementation of such a large-scale project, the company constantly replenishes the personnel reserve. Currently, there are top officer’s vacancies for both dry cargo ships and chemical tankers.

Gradually, the multi-purpose vessels of the Topaz Company with Astrakhan crews are also returning to work. As a reminder, since 2017, 17 specially built MCV vessels have started delivering modules from Finnish Hamina and Bulgarian Burgas to the Caspian oil refinery construction site as part of the Tengizchervoil international consortium project. Today, the project is coming to its logical conclusion, and the management of the company Topaz Astrakhan is making attempts to involve ships in transportation in the Baltic Sea. The situation is complicated by the high competition among the river-sea class vessels in the region. Nevertheless, according to Nikolay Popov, the chairman of the STO SUR, five Topaz’s vessels are already involved in transportation in the European region. And this means preserving jobs for seafarers in a reliable, socially oriented company. Moreover, the Baltic States have adopted higher rates of remuneration for seafarers. «The policy of European countries is fair competition of business. For this purpose, a decent minimum wage is established on ships operating between EU ports. So that the defined wage rate of AB is mandatory for all vessels. If this condition is not met, in Finland, for example, the ship can be stopped as the Finnish legislation allows this to be done. It is no secret that on the Black Sea wages are lower, so when switching to operate in the Baltic Sea, shipowners need to review the scale of remuneration for seafarers,»- mentioned Niolay Popov.

The members of the Council of the STO SUR also agreed on the need to expand the work in Astrakhan and to involve in the union not only the crewmembers of the company Topaz. «There are a huge number of seafarers in Astrakhan. Many are employed through the crewing agencies from Novorossiysk. I am a seafarer and I understand that seafarers need to unite. Because the trade union provides a whole range of social programs like legal assistance on any issues, material support in difficult life situations, organization of leisure activities on the shore, sports events and much more», - commented Denis Bondarenko, Chairman of the SUR Topaz Astrakhan primary union organization.

Maritime Trade Union Newspaper,  STO SUR