MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

End of Falklands' St Brandan contract echoes in Britain

MV <i>Saint Brandan

The latest British Ministry of Defence's decision to terminate the contract of the “Saint Brandan”, which has been working in the Falkland Islands for the past 26 plus years has added to the widespread controversy in the UK against the use of foreign labour, reports Maritime Global Net.

UK's maritime union Nautilus is urging the government to reconsider plans that could see British seafarers losing their jobs as a result of a move to award a Ministry of Defence contract to a foreign-crewed ship belonging to a Dutch company. According to Nautilus the loss of the contract would also threaten the future of the Scottish shipping company, J & A Gardner, which owns the Saint Brandan, as the ship would probably be sold or scrapped. Nautilus says it has written to Defence Minister John Hutton and Shipping Minister Jim Fitzpatrick following reports that the MoD has decided to terminate the contract for the British-flagged ship Saint Brandan which supplies military outstations with fuel and stores, assists landing craft in military exercises, and supports dive teams. Nautilus has voiced "profound concern" at reports that up to 18 British seafarers are now facing the threat of redundancy following a the MoD's decision to end the contract for the Saint Brandan, with effect from May, and to instead use a ship crewed by foreign seafarers. Nautilus told the ministers the move also demonstrates "a lack of joined-up thinking" by government departments on the employment of British crews – with the MoD decision threatening to undermine the Department for Transport policy commitments to increase employment and training opportunities for British seafarers. Nautilus assistant general secretary Mark Dickinson said the strategic value of the Merchant Navy and British merchant seafarers have been repeatedly demonstrated. More than 50 merchant ships took part in the Falklands task force, playing a vital role in carrying troops and equipment, despite this he added, Nautilus has had to raise repeated concerns with the MoD about the use of foreign-flagged, foreign-crewed shipping for defence purposes. "At a time when there is so much talk about British jobs for British workers, we are urging the MoD to reconsider the move" said Mr Dickinson. "It is appalling that after more than a quarter of a century of loyal service, the seafarers on this ship face unemployment as a result of the termination of the contract. At this time of economic gloom, we believe the government should do all it can to safeguard the jobs of British seafarers - not to take the lowest common denominator route of selecting crews on the basis of low cost". The latest edition the Falklands' Penguin News reported that a Defence spokesman confirmed that the successful bidder for the contract to provide a chartered shipping service was Van Wijngarden Marine Services BV, which currently operates the tug Giessenstroom in the Falkland Islands. The contract will run for a 10- year period starting on April 1, 2009 and will operate two Shoalbuster tugs plus a large pontoon barge providing a ro-ro facility and cranage. The spokesman said the contracted new-build vessels would arrive in the Falklands in January 2010 and confirmed that the Dutch company would charter MV Tamar to provide an interim service.