Pacific islander seafarers

ILO welcomes seafarers' rights agreement amid pandemic

Hundreds of thousands of seafarers, including Pacific Islanders, have been trapped for months on ships across the globe due to ongoing travel restrictions.

The ILO has welcomed a joint statement signed by more than a dozen countries that gives seafarers enhanced rights as key workers.

The new measures, also supported by other UN agencies and international organizations, enable seafarers to be repatriated and move more freely during the pandemic.