Sustainable Maritime Labour Governance: The Role of Transformative Partnership in Seafarers’ Welfare

Abstract

In the 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development, decent work and economic growth are the eighth sustainable development goal (SDG). Maritime transportation supports over 80% of the international trade, and more than 1.6 million seafarers work at sea to ensure marine transportation is safe, efficient and environmentally friendly. Seafarers make a critical contribution to sustainable maritime transportation. To ensure decent work conditions at sea and protect seafarers' rights is an important sustainable development goal. Drawing upon the case of port-based welfare facilities, this chapter aims to examine the current partnership of maritime labour governance, different roles of governmental and non-governmental organisations and how they work together to ensure and promote well-being and welfare of seafarers. This chapter will also discuss the current challenges faced by the public-private partnership in sustaining and developing seafarer welfare. We argue that a transformative partnership involving both public and private actors is required in the maritime labour governance, and sovereign states should recognize seafarers' key workers' status and assign more resources to international seafarers' welfare facilities.