Thread by @zackpattin_

Hey before we move on from that ship in the Suez Canal, can we talk about “flags of convenience” real quick? 🧵

Ever Given is one of the largest container ships in the world, with a capacity of more than 20,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs); that’s the same as 10,000 of the more common 40’ steel containers you see on trucks and trains criss-crossing the country.

Owned by Shoei Kisen Kaisha, a subsidiary of Imabari Shipbuilding in Japan, Ever Given launched alongside ten other vessels of the same size in 2018. Referred to as their “Golden-class,” these ships are operated by the Taiwanese Evergreen Marine Corporation.

That’s a Japanese owner and a Taiwanese operator, but if you look at the stern of the vessel above it says “Panama.” Why? That’s the ship’s registered home port and as such the nation’s domestic laws it operates under despite being built, owned and operated elsewhere.

That’s what’s called a #flagofconvenience. It’s an underhanded trick used to skirt labor and environmental laws and register instead in a country that offers up few if any protections, such as the right to organize under the Wagner Act or safety standards enforced by OSHA.

FOCs have also contributed to the flourishing of illegal fishing operations. Due to a lack of oversight, many of the worst oil spills in history have happened under them as well, including the Deepwater Horizon disaster in 2010.

Panama and Liberia are among the most common flags I see at work, but there’s 35 FOC countries in total identified by the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF).

These carriers employ crews disproportionately from places like the Philippines, India, and Indonesia and ruthlessly exploit them, forcing seafarers to work for shamefully low wages and under excruciatingly long hours.

They routinely fail to provide safety equipment and even food or clean water for their crews.

Thankfully @ITFglobalunion (a global labor federation including air, rail, truck, and maritime sections) fights for these workers where we can.

The ITF and its member affiliates — including the ILWU and IBU — pressure these vessels to adopt basic agreements and routinely conduct inspections to ensure they’re enforced. More info here: itfglobal.org/en/sector/seaf…

If you’re a maritime worker like me, next time you’re aboard one of these ships, keep an eye out. Treat those mates with the respect they deserve. If something looks out of line, get a hold of your local @ITFSeafSupport inspector.

We have the leverage and power to help fight for other workers so let’s do what we do best: solidarity.

Remember: “An injury to one is an injury to *all.*”