Ginto* stares at the bow of the freighter. The sea is rough and raindrops pelt the deck. Laboriously, the small ship ploughs through the Baltic Sea. The engine is running at full throttle, the air thick with the smell of machine oil and diesel. Ginto feels nauseous. Growing up in the Philippines, he was accustomed to seagoing from a young age. But he still gets seasick, he reports.
Working as a sailor is considered to be one of the world's most dangerous jobs. NGOs like Sea-Watch frequently report excessive working hours, high risk of injury, and low wages. Additionally, sailors face mental health challenges. They are often isolated at sea for months, away from their families, and usually do not even share the same language.
Due to the poor working conditions, few Europeans are willing to pursue maritime careers. "You invest your life in a job which is dangerous and keeps you away from your family – why would you do that?", says Andrea Albertazzi, the Fisheries Policy Spokesperson for the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF), part of the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF), which advocates globally for the rights of maritime workers.
"We fight against exploitation in a sector that has been neglected for far too long," their website states. They collaborate with over 200 maritime unions in 106 countries.
The industry's shortage of newcomers makes it dependent on foreign labour. Like many others, Ginto comes from the Philippines, where they are hailed as national heroes because their work often supports entire families.
Ginto has been working for German shipping companies for eight years, where a recruitment agency specialising in Filipino sailors places him on a new ship every few months.
Despite his degree in marine engineering and years of experience, he earns only €1,334 a month, sending €900 home to his family. His Filipino colleague on board earns only €400; it is his first time on a ship. In the Philippines, Ginto would earn only a fraction of what he does in Germany. Not just his own existence, but that of his entire family, depends on this job.
A large portion of migrant maritime workers in Europe, according to the ITF, come from Indonesia, the Philippines and North Africa. Markus Wichmann, working for the ITF in northern Germany and as an inspector in Hamburg, explains that nearly half of the migrant sailors he deals with are from the Philippines.
He paints a grim picture: "These sailors sacrifice a part of their lives and their time to provide for their families back home. In exchange, they endure a life with very little free time, being exploited as individuals, and sacrificing their own interests to support their families."
"I call it the nightmare ship. He treated me as a slave"
Maritime trade is a global industry like no other. Countries with lower legal and environmental standards put European players under price pressure, and under these conditions, shipping companies turn to foreign recruitment agencies that offer them cheap labour. Ginto and his colleague also came to Germany through a Filipino agency.
However, there are differences among agencies; some have a better reputation, while others are accused of overcharging their workers or providing insufficient rest periods.
"Of course, there are large, reputable shipping companies that employ large, reputable agencies. But there are also bad actors, where shipping companies seek out cheap crewing agents who then also treat their sailors poorly,” Wichmann explains.
The precarious working conditions are exacerbated by an opaque legal situation. While the Maritime Labour Convention has set minimum standards for working conditions at sea, in practice, things are different across the board. One prime example is that there is essentially no minimum wage.
The ITF negotiates minimum wages in collective bargaining agreements with employers and shipping companies, but these are not mandatory. Recruitment agencies can circumvent these and pay sailors based on their origin — a practice Wichmann describes as "institutionalised racism."
When asked about this, Ginto becomes uneasy. He sits in the mess, the ship's lounge, looking at his strong hands. Two portholes let some daylight into the small room. Cookies are on the table, untouched. "You have no choice," he finally says, crossing his arms. On board, he is referred to as "AB", short for "Able-bodied Seaman," a common designation for low-ranking sailors.
"It's [black lists] actually an open secret that these exist among shipping companies or agencies," Wichmann explains. "Ultimately, it's meant to threaten the sailors."
This fact also highlights the significant power structure onboard. Many sailors are addressed only by their rank, while the captains are almost always of European descent. In Ginto's agency, for many years there was a man meant to instruct and intimidate the staff. He was on a ship with Ginto twice.
"I call it the nightmare ship. He treated me as a slave," he recalls.
To assist sailors in such cases, the ITF conducts regular inspections. However, evidence is often lacking, as is the courage to speak out, for fear of reprisals. Wages are usually paid in cash, making monitoring even more challenging.
In discussions with affected individuals and experts, we repeatedly hear about "Black Lists." As soon as a sailor complains about their shipowner or agency, their name supposedly goes on a Black List. Once on it, it's almost impossible to find another job in the industry.
"It's actually an open secret that these exist among shipping companies or agencies," Wichmann explains. "Ultimately, it's meant to threaten the sailors."
Another hurdle for oversight are the so-called 'Flags of Convenience'. This refers to ships being registered under the flag of a country that imposes fewer legal requirements and lower taxes rather than their “home flag.” It's a common practice for shipowners and shipping companies to circumvent the rules of their home countries with this method.
The ITF places great hope in the EU Supply Chain Law. The recently enacted law forces companies to ensure human rights and environmental standards are complied with throughout their entire supply chain, including equal pay.
The problem: the law will not be fully effective until 2032 and will only apply to companies with at least 1,000 employees and an annual turnover of more than €450m. Thus, the Supply Chain Law will only cover a third of the companies originally targeted.
Smaller companies and agencies fall outside its scope. The labour rights of these sailors cannot be protected by the EU Supply Chain Law, leaving it up to the goodwill of shipping companies and agencies to determine safety regulations, wages, and labour rights.
*Name changed for privacy reasons
Yvonne Schmidt, Jakob Steiner and Naomi Stieglmaier are students of MSc Journalism at Leipzig University worked on labour migration and the shipping industry in a cross-border collaboration, with an additional team in France and Sweden, for over six months.