Condor has become one of four signatories to new voluntary charters which protect the rights of sailors in the English Channel.
John Napton, Condor’s CEO, was in Paris yesterday, along with representatives from Stena Line, DFDS and Brittany Ferries at an event hosted by French shipping minister Hervé Berville, who was joined by his UK counterpart, the Maritime Minister Baroness Vere for the signing of the new bilateral agreements.
The charters complement laws mandating minimum wages for sailors on ferries operating cross-Channel routes. In the UK, the Seafarers Wages Act was made law in March 2023. In France La Loi Le Gac sur le dumping social (named after the Breton member of parliament who drafted it), passed the final stage of the legislative process last week. The voluntary charters protect and boost the employment of seafarers.
John Napton, Condor’s CEO, said: “Condor Ferries is a proud and responsible employer, committed to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace for all staff and crew across our network of international routes.
“We are fully supportive of the Seafarers’ Charters launched by the UK and French governments and I was delighted to be in Paris this week to sign these historic agreements.”
The main picture shows John Napton, CEO of Condor Ferries, second from left with other dignitaries including Baroness Vere, UK maritime minister, centre left and her French counterpart, Hervé Berville, centre right, at the historic signing of the bilateral Seafarers’ Charters.
