ADDIB Chairman Ilham Nasirov made a harsh appeal to shipping companies: “The lives of Azerbaijani seafarers can never be the price of any profit.”
According to sea-news.az that in recent months, attacks carried out with unmanned aerial vehicles, missiles, and other armed means against civilian merchant ships continue in various regions of the world. As a result, innocent seafarers lose their lives or are injured, ships face serious danger, and crews are forced to risk their lives on every voyage.
Despite all this, some shipping companies do not adequately address the prevailing security realities. Voyages along risky regions continue, crews are not fully informed about occurred attacks and existing dangers, and in some cases, seafarers are lured into high-risk routes from a safety perspective with promises of high salaries.
Regarding the current situation, Ilham Nasirov, Chairman of the Public Union “Support to Azerbaijani Seafarers” (ADDIB), issued an open appeal to shipping companies, stating the necessity of prioritizing the lives of seafarers over any commercial interest.
“Seafarers’ safety is not a choice, it is an obligation” According to Ilham Nasirov, the responsibility falling on shipping companies today is greater compared to previous years.
“Today, world shipping is not living through ordinary times. Civil merchant ships are increasingly becoming targets of armed attacks. Under such conditions, companies cannot push safety into the background. The lives of seafarers must be prioritized over any commercial interest, contract, or profit.”
“It is unacceptable to hide what has happened” The ADDIB chairman stated that seafarers have the right to receive full and honest information about the routes they will work on and the existing risks.
“If a company hides recent events, existing dangers, and risks along the route it will operate from the crew or presents them as safer than they actually are, this restricts the seafarer’s right to make an informed decision. Transparency is the primary condition of trust.”
Ilham Nasirov noted that the timely sharing of safety-related information is an essential element of both professional ethics and responsible management.
“High salary is not a substitute for safety” The ADDIB chairman emphasized that the promise of a high salary cannot replace seafarers’ right to safety.
“No salary is the price of a human life. A seafarer sent to a risky region must be clearly explained not only the salary, but also all the dangers they may encounter. People should not be forced to make decisions without knowing what they will face.”
According to him, luring people in financial difficulty into risky routes with promises of high salaries is an issue requiring special sensitivity.
“Profit must not be prioritized over human life” Ilham Nasirov stated that the timely completion of a voyage or the fulfillment of a commercial obligation cannot be prioritized over a human life.
“The execution of a contract, the delivery of cargo, or the profit to be obtained can never be compared to the life of a seafarer. Companies must first ask themselves not ‘Will this voyage bring profit?’, but ‘Is our crew safe?'”
Alternative and safe routes must be a priority The ADDIB chairman believes that the current geopolitical situation requires a new approach from companies.
“If there is an opportunity to avoid risky regions, those opportunities must be utilized. If no such opportunity exists, the crew must be fully informed, all safety measures must be strengthened, and the consent of every seafarer must be respected.”
He stated that companies should evaluate voyages to dangerous regions not as ordinary business decisions, but as decisions that directly affect human life.
“Seafarers are not statistics” Ilham Nasirov emphasized that behind every seafarer stands a family.
“Seafarers are not profit-generating statistics. They are the hope of their families, the support of their children, the children of their parents, and professionals representing Azerbaijan in world shipping. Their lives cannot be the subject of any commercial interest.”
He added: “If a route is considered dangerous for the management staff of a company, it is also not right to send a seafarer to that route. Danger is the same for everyone, and the value of a human life does not change according to the position held.”
“This appeal is to prevent the next tragedy” At the end of his appeal, the ADDIB chairman made an open call to shipping companies.
“We call on shipping companies to fully and timely inform crews about occurred attacks, existing security risks, and the real situation along the route, to prioritize human life over commercial interests, and where possible, not to send seafarers to regions that are risky from a security perspective.”
“It is possible to acquire lost cargo again. It is possible to recover a delayed voyage. It is possible to compensate for financial losses. But it is impossible to bring back a lost human life.”
In conclusion, Ilham Nasirov emphasized that the purpose of this appeal is not to accuse anyone, but to call the entire shipping sector to a more responsible approach to the issue of security.
“We make this appeal to prevent the next tragedy. We believe that responsible decisions made today will serve for more Azerbaijani seafarers to return home safely to their families tomorrow. The lives of Azerbaijani seafarers can never be the price of any profit.”
Ilham Rafiq oglu Nasirov
Chairman of the Public Union “Support to Azerbaijani Seafarers” (ADDIB)
Tel.: +994 55 226 48 99
E-mail: info@adib.az
www.adib.az
