'Still at Sea' photo competition captures life onboard during coronavirus
25 August 2020
Serving seafarers are being encouraged to show the realities of life onboard during the coronavirus pandemic in a new photo competition – 'Still At Sea'.
Launched by the International Transport Workers' Federation Seafarers' Trust (ITFST), the competition is open to serving seafarers who can win cash prizes of up to £1,000 by submitting digital snaps that were taken between 01 May and 30 September 2020.
The ITF hopes that creating a visual archive of the highs and lows of life at sea during the pandemic will promote the recognition of seafarers as key workers globally and be a platform to combat sea blindness for an audience outside of the maritime industry.
With around 90% of global trade transported by ships, seafarers have continued to deliver essential goods globally throughout the pandemic. However, the impact of travel restrictions, quarantine requirements and the lack of repatriation flights have trapped some 300,000 seafarers onboard ships.
ITF Seafarers' Trust chair of trustees Dave Heindel said: 'As Covid-19 has ravaged nations, seafarers have continued working uninterrupted. Many of them have not been ashore for months on end, some for well over a year. A photograph needs no translation to share its story and the Still At Sea competition is a platform for seafarers to show the wider world the realities of life stuck onboard.'
Head of the ITF Seafarers' Trust Katie Higginbottom said: 'At the beginning of the pandemic seafarers were relatively safe at sea but worried for their families. However, months have passed and hundreds of thousands of seafarers are still stuck at sea, their contracts extended well beyond terms that can be considered humane. Still At Sea is a chance for seafarers to share a glimpse of their lives with the people who unknowingly rely on them.'
Seafarers can submit their photographs on the competition's website up until 30 September 2020. The winning photographs will be announced on the Trust's Facebook page on 30 October 2020 along with digital and physical exhibitions of submissions.
• for terms and conditions of entering 'Still At Sea' visit the competition website
More articles
Ultimate sea views sought for Shipwrecked Mariners Society photo competition
The Shipwrecked Mariners' Society has launched its 2020 'Ultimate Sea Views' photo competition with a timely pandemic twist.
Nautilus Slater Fund gets £450K boost for officer of the watch training
Additional £450,000 funding has been made available to the Nautilus Slater Fund which provides training for people who work at sea seeking to gain their first Officer of the Watch (OOW) certification.
Union issues timely advice on superyacht crew rights
Nautilus has issued refreshed guidance on seafarer employment agreements (SEA) for superyacht crew and drawn attention to stakeholder responsibilities under the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC).
Nautilus elections: your Union, your Council
2021 will see elections for the Union’s leadership. If you have good ideas for the future of your Union and the maritime industry, now is the time to put them into action by standing for the Council.