PORT KLANG, Nov 22 (NNN-Bernama): The Malaysian Council of the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) Sunday launched a one-week campaign to "weed out rogue ship owners and stop the exploitation of seafarers."

The annual campaign, to be carried out simultaneously in 13 other Asian countries, will check on "flag of convenience (FOC)" ships which flout international regulations pertaining to proper wages and terms and conditions for workers.

FOC ships are those registered in countries such as Panama, Bahamas, Bermuda, Cyprus, Cambodia, North Korea and Mongolia where regulations are perceived to be "lax".

The campaign, which ends on Nov 27, was launched by Malaysian ITF Council secretary Zainal Rampak.

It will involve 20 local volunteers who are authorised by the ITF to board FOC ships and conduct surprise checks.

Last year, during a similar campaign, a total of 398 such ships were inspected and almost US$500,000 were recovered in outstanding wages for the crew.

Malaysian ITF Council member A. Balasubramaniam, who is the Union of Employees of Port Ancillary Services secretary and Malaysian Trades Union Congress Vice-President, told bernama seafarers working on FOC ships received low wages and endured poor working conditions with long working hours.

He added that FOC ships also accounted for the lion's share of losses at sea resulting in deaths of seafarers and pollution of the world's ocean.

Balasubramaniam said the campaign was coordinated worldwide by the ITF.

FOC ships will invariably be "caught" if they slip through at any one of the ports under surveillance during the campaign and will be forced to sign a collective agreement before being allowed to ply the seas.

-NNN-BERNAMA