RMT Maritime Cabotage Working Group – Definition of Maritime Cabotage

Circular No: NP/223/24

 

TO ALL MARITIME BRANCHES AND REGIONAL COUNCILS

 

Our ref: S1/1

 

19^th September 2024

 

Dear Colleagues

 

RMT Maritime Cabotage Working Group – Definition of Maritime Cabotage

 

Further to Circular no.70 of 21^st March 2024, following the first meeting of the RMT Maritime Cabotage Working Group, the NEC have ratified the following definition of Maritime Cabotage, which will be used in your union’s maritime campaigns:

 

“Maritime cabotage is coastal trade between domestic ports and to offshore energy installations from a domestic port in the same governmental jurisdiction (‘domestic routes’). Maritime cabotage operations include any marine activity of a commercial nature, including but not limited to the transportation of both cargoes and passengers. Cabotage laws enhance national security and protect jobs, training, vessel registration, maritime safety standards and public investment in domestic maritime activity from unfair competition. That protection is designed to benefit citizen and resident seafarers and supply chain workers and the local and national economy by growing and sustaining employment and skills. These laws would apply to maritime freight, container and passenger transport services and to merchant ships in the offshore energy, subsea exploitation, exploration and waste storage and dredging sectors. The full range of domestic employment law would also apply to all seafarers working on all merchant vessels on domestic routes.”

 

If members of Maritime Branches have any comments on maritime cabotage or to suggest agenda items for the Maritime Cabotage Working Group, please contact the National Secretary, Darren Procter d.procter@rmt.org.uk. 

 

I applaud the expert work of the RMT Maritime Cabotage Working Group in developing this definition and again urge all Maritime Branches to nominate a delegate and a substitute to attend these meetings, if you have not already done so – knowledge is power. The next (hybrid) meeting of the Maritime Cabotage Working Group will be held on Wednesday 13^th November at Unity House.

  

I would be grateful if you could bring the content of this circular to the attention of all Maritime Branch members. You will be kept advised of all further developments.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Michael Lynch

General Secretary