The Transport Agency has compiled all the shortcomings related to the Maritime Work Convention, based on port state inspections between 2016 and 2018. During that time period there were 1,500 foreign ships inspected in Swedish ports and of them, 12% had deficiencies. Most of the problems were on ships from the Bahamas, Panama, Antigua and Bermuda, but also Norway. Most of the shortcomings on the Norwegian ships were related to protective devices, while the other flag states had roughly equal shares of protection measures, certificates, living conditions and food that all needed improving. Of the 118 Swedish ships that were inspected 299 times in foreign ports during the same time period, 28 had deficiencies under the Maritime Work Convention, or 24% of the total.

The most common shortcomings on Swedish ships were related to the work environment, medical care and social protection. Primarily there were shortcomings in safety and protection against accidents, such as damaged electronics, asbestos and leaking pipes. In some cases there were poor procedures and preventive work environment measures. Poor living conditions and food were reported on eight ships. In half of the cases the shortcomings involved hygiene and cleaning, while the remaining cases related to old, poor quality food. According to the Transport Agency’s summary, Swedish ships have more deficiencies than foreign ships: 24% compared to 12%. That does not mean that Swedish ships are in worse condition than those under other flags though, the Agency writes in its report. In many cases the deficiencies in foreign ships are considerably worse than those on Swedish ships, but that is not visible in the statistics. The results were published in the report entitled Seafarers’ Working and Living Conditions, which was published in the autumn of 2019 (in Swedish).

LS