Oceanly highlights plight of imprisoned two senior crew of ‘Phoenician-B’ on Day of the Seafarer

“As a human being, as a seafarer, and as someone who has worked in shipping for over 50 years, I would instead use two simple words: Let’s Act!” says Giampiero Soncini (pictured), Shareholder and Board Member at sustainability services provider Oceanly, on the occasion of Day of the Seafarer 2025

“In other words, fewer words and more action to demonstrate that we genuinely care about our seafarers. For instance, we talk at length about “stopping the criminalisation of seafarers”, but when a serious incident occurs and some seafarers find themselves in difficulty, we offer sympathy, empathy, understanding, and even indignation and astonishment. But we fail to take meaningful action.”

In the case of Captain Marko Bekavac and Chief Mate Ali Albokhari, two senior crew of the bulker Phoenician-M who this February were sentenced to 30 years in Turkish jail on unsubstantiated drugs charges, Soncini asks: “What has the shipping community actually done? Journalists have written numerous articles, but… what are the outcomes? The two seafarers remain imprisoned, and the next review may not take place for another two years. Perhaps.

“So, if we truly wish to make a difference, let us turn words into action. Let us begin by excluding from our community any shipping companies that fail to support their seafarers. And let us apply a levy on all goods transported to countries that mistreat seafarers—a levy that can be directed to the families of abandoned, arrested, or harassed seafarers, to help cover legal expenses, provide support, and fund travel.

“All our organisations should work towards the goal of making life increasingly difficult for those companies and countries that make life difficult for seafarers. Impossible? Nothing is impossible if there is the will and a genuine commitment to lifting seafarers out of this status of third-class citizens.”