Write to your MP in support of our Fair Transport Mark

Nautilus International's Fair Transport campaign tackles the problem of vessels with poor safety standards and squalid living conditions, and says too many seafarers live in fear of being abandoned without pay in ports far from home. These crews are part of the world fleet which transports 90% of our goods to market, yet they continue to suffer, with consumers oblivious to the conditions they endure.

The issues

Decades ago, the fair trade movement identified problems of exploitation in the developing-world farming sector, particularly when it came to producers growing high-value cash crops such as coffee beans and bananas for export to wealthier countries. Organisations like Fairtrade International have now made great strides in raising public awareness of exploited developing-world farm workers and establishing a better deal for producers.

These results have largely been achieved by encouraging big western brands to sign up to a scheme guaranteeing a minimum price for their producers – and in return, the brands can promote their ethical credentials and attract consumers through displaying the Fairtrade Mark, or other badges of good practice, on their products.

Unfortunately, none of these badges of good practice offers a guarantee to the consumer or the import/export industry that workers in the supply chain have not been exploited. Nautilus has revealed a number of cases in which fair trade cargoes have been carried on ships with atrocious living and working conditions – and we've come up with ideas on how to stop this happening in future.

What Nautilus is doing

Nautilus has developed its Fair Transport scheme – a proposal to make good shipping companies easily recognisable through a new Fair Transport Mark and to encourage the import/export industry to use these firms and shun the substandard operators.

As Nautilus members generally come from developed countries, and are mostly fortunate enough to work for reputable companies, they might ask why their Union should be the one to mount this particular campaign.

There are two main reasons. Firstly, Nautilus members benefit from any effort to rid the industry of substandard operators. Jobs are lost at reputable companies when business is awarded to 'low-cost' shipping companies who undercut their competitors by neglecting crew welfare. So the more import/export companies commit to using shipping firms validated by the Fair Transport Mark, the closer we will get to a level playing field for our members.

Secondly, as a trade union, Nautilus has a strong commitment to ethical practices and is proud to be part of an international workers' movement that fights for the less-fortunate. As the Nautilus mission statement says: 'We are an independent, campaigning and progressive organisation that speaks up for seafarers and protects maritime professionals.'

Nautilus sees the Fair Transport Mark as part of its wider moral obligations to the global seafaring and inland waterways community and is proud to be making this contribution.

How you can help

Write to your elected representatives to seek their support for the Nautilus Fair Transport Mark scheme.

Ask supermarkets and suppliers what steps they take to ensure their products are carried on quality shipping.

Let the Union know of any ideas you might have for taking this campaign further.