OECD – Der mangler en forbindelse mellem statsstøtte og beskæftigelse af europæiske Søfarende.

International Transport Forum, som er en OECD-organisation indenfor transportområdet har for nyligt udgivet rapporten – Water Transport-Employment in Europe- The Role of Governance.

Rapporten sætter fokus på den manglende forbindelse mellem statsstøtte til rederierne og beskæftigelse af europæiske søfarende. Rapporten kritiserer også, at der ikke findes valide beskæftigelsesstatistikker på det maritime område i de Europæiske lande. 

Vi har tidligere i artiklen https://fairmaritim.dk/index.php/2023/01/30/store-overdrivelser-i-beskaeftigelsestal-fra-soefartsstyrelsen-bruges-til-at-retfaerdiggoere-milliard-tilskud/ beskrevet hvordan Søfartsstyrelsen fifler med de danske beskæftigelsestal. 

I rapportens ”Executive Summary” Skriver OECD;

Maritime transport policies often suppose that state aid for the maritime sector supports seafarer

employment. However, there are few indications for effects on employment. There are three reasons for this. First, state aid is not directly linked to employment. Second, the link between a ship operating under a national flag and employing nationals of that flag is weak. Third, ships in second registries are also eligible. 

Det er en ganske udmærket karakteristik af DIS. 

Regnskabsteknik gør at omkostningerne til besætninger fylder alt for meget.

Rapporten har desværre accepteret den måde man opgør et skibs driftsomkostninger på, og hvor bunkersolien – brændstof til fremdrivning af skibet – ikke er med i regnskabet. Det medfører selvsagt at omkostningen til besætningen kommer til at se meget voldsomme ud. Havde man regnet bunkersolien med i driftsregnskabet havde man set, at omkostningerne til besætning udgør en forsvindende lille del af de samlede omkostninger.  

På baggrund af rapportens analyser anbefaler OECD følgende.

Ensure European maritime policies support the development of seafarers’ skills.

Seafarer skills are generally not addressed coherently and consistently in EU policies. Policies related to employment data, shipping registries and state aid for shipping should be reviewed and adjusted to ensure the required skills are available.

Improve employment statistics for water transport employment in Europe.

National statistics agencies in Europe could start collecting data on the number of EU/EEA seafarers and the types of vessels on which they are deployed. This will help orient national and EU policies to strengthen seafarer skills in Europe.

Make sure that there is a “genuine link” between state and ship in shipping registries.

To improve safety standards and labour standards in general, on-board ships, governments must ensure that the “genuine link” between state and ship required by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas is enforced in their shipping registries, including the open and second registries.

Link state aid for the maritime sector more directly to employment-related objectives. 

If sustained, subsidies such as the tonnage tax and wage-cost reductions could be used in more targeted ways to incentivise desired labour-related outcomes in the maritime transport sector. For example, EU maritime state aid could be limited to ships with a minimum share of seafarers from EU/EEA nations. It could also be made conditional on shipowners and operators actively supporting EU/EEA seafarers’ education, e.g., through stipends, mentoring at nautical schools and programmes for seafarers (cadets and ratings). In addition, the link between the national flag and water transport employment could be strengthened, e.g., by more stringent manning requirements or abolishing the exemptions from nationality requirements for crews.

Limit the eligibility for state aid of ships registered in second shipping registers.

Governments could restrict the eligibility of ships to receive state aid to vessels registered in a first registry. Ships in a second or international registry that are declared flags of convenience should not be eligible. The EU Maritime State Aid Guidelines could be adapted to indicate the second registries for which the registered ships would not be eligible for state aid.

Hele rapporten kan findes her

https://www.itf-oecd.org/water-transport-employment-europe-role-governance

Rapportens hovedforfatter Olav Merk, gav en on-line præsentation af rapporten i august i år. Link til præsentationen – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkSsV_deGy8&t=5s