ETF calls on EU to strengthen protection of seafarers and port workers in the Black Sea
13.10.2026 - 14:58
The European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) has called on EU leaders to strengthen the protection of seafarers, port workers and civilian shipping in the Black Sea.
This was reported by the Maritime Transport Workers Trade Union of Ukraine (MTWTUU), on whose initiative the ETF sent a corresponding appeal on the eve of the European Council meeting on October 15-16.
In the document, the federation calls for making the safety of seafarers and port workers one of the key issues when discussing the situation in the Black Sea.
According to the data provided by the Ukrainian government to the ETF, as of September 2026, 1,173 port infrastructure facilities and 274 civilian vessels had been damaged or partially destroyed as a result of attacks.
The federation also recalled the recent attacks on merchant vessels. In particular, on October 3 in the Odessa region, a sailor died, and three more crew members were injured. On 6 October, the vessels ALFA WATAN and ABLE were hit in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone.
The ETF called for continuous search and rescue operations, emergency plans in ports and additional guarantees for workers working in high-risk conditions.
The federation also advocated for the involvement of trade unions in decisions on hazardous operations and called on the EU and its member states to help restore the safe movement of merchant ships in the Black Sea, protect civilian port infrastructure and investigate attacks on ships and ports.
The head of the Ukrainian Ports Union, Oleh Hryhoryuk, stressed that the protection of seafarers, dockers, merchant ships and port infrastructure is also important for the stability of international trade and global food security.
