Shipowners associations Confitarma and Assarmatori, together with unions Filt Cgil, Fit Cisl and Uiltrasporti, launched a shortage alarm regarding EU or Italian seafarers to embark on the ferries deployed on the local cabotage routes.
In a letter sent to the Director of the Transport ministry in charge for the maritime transport it is written that as of today some 1,100 workers would be needed but that the ferry companies cannot find them due to many factors. One of them is the Covid emergency.
The request is to obtain a temporary permission for embarking extra-EU seafarers (which is not possible for the local laws) or the possibility to move some workers from one ship to another inside the same fleet.
A dedicated law would be needed to change the rules therefore a real risk for some vessels to remain berthed is emerging for the summer peak season.