Still at Sea - Katie Higginbottom and Karl Risser, ITF Seafarers Trust

Still at Sea - Katie Higginbottom and Karl Risser, ITF Seafarers Trust

by Katie Higginbottom, Karl Risser · View the channel on PSI

Humanities, Social Sciences & Thought Transport & Mobility TRLShipbuilding technology, engineering and tradesTRLTMaritime and nautical trades
🎙 Katie Higginbottom, Karl Risser 👥 73 📅 November 28, 2022 ⏱ 16 min 👁 94 📄 expert opinion 🧭 2026-10-09
Available in: English (current) Français

Keywords

seafarersITFmaritime laborcrew changeStill at Sea

Summary

This presentation from the ICMM Congress 2022 focuses on the work of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) Seafarers Trust, presented by head Katie Higginbottom and inspector Karl Risser. It begins with a historical overview of the ITF, dating back to the late 19th century with the Dockers’ strike in Rotterdam and Havelock Wilson’s efforts, culminating in the creation of the ITF in 1898. The talk then covers key milestones such as the campaign against flags of convenience, the development of collective bargaining agreements, and the establishment of the trust in 1981. Current activities include 125 inspectors in over 100 ports, with 7,265 inspections in 2021 and $37.5 million recovered in unpaid wages. Karl Risser provides a frontline perspective, describing cases of abandoned crews, extended contracts, and mental health issues, and calls for incorporating modern seafarers’ stories into maritime museums. The final part highlights the ‘Still at Sea’ photography competition, launched during the crew change crisis, which has collected extraordinary social history and aims to give visibility to seafarers, inviting museum curators to collaborate.

174 words

Critical Evaluation

Value of the Information & Strength of the Argument

The talk provides valuable insights into the often neglected human dimension of global shipping. Historical background is well-documented, and the inclusion of personal stories from an inspector adds authenticity. The argumentation is internally coherent, moving from historical struggle to present-day challenges and the need for public engagement. The emphasis on the photography project as an unfiltered connection with seafarers is compelling, but the presentation remains essentially descriptive and advocacy-oriented, with limited critical analysis of systemic issues.

Scientific Rigor, Source Quality, Title Accuracy

The presentation does not explicitly cite external sources, but references to the ILO Maritime Labour Convention (2006) and specific historical events suggest grounding in institutional knowledge. The title ‘Still at Sea’ aptly captures the theme of seafarers’ isolation. The adequacy between title and content is strong, though the talk covers broader historical context than the title alone suggests. No comments were analyzed due to lack of data.

158 words

Title / Content Match

The title accurately reflects the central theme of seafarers' ongoing isolation and invisibility despite their critical role, matching the content of the talk.

Quality & Reliability

8/10

The presentation provides historical and current data on seafarers' working conditions, supported by concrete figures (inspections, recovered wages) and personal frontline experience. The perspective is from the trade union (ITF) side, but the facts appear credible. Slight bias is possible due to institutional advocacy.

Key Moments

Markers derived by PSI from the transcript: the creator did not define chapters.

Cited Sources

  • International Transport Workers' Federation — Organisation discussed throughout the presentation

Contribution & Novelties

The unique contribution of this presentation is the introduction of the ‘Still at Sea’ photography competition as a means to document and humanize the experiences of seafarers during the COVID-19 crew change crisis. It emphasizes the potential for museums to use this archive for exhibitions, providing a raw, unfiltered connection to the maritime workforce.

Pour aller plus loin :

  • Crew change crisis — Pertinent for understanding the 2021 background of the ‘Still at Sea’ initiative.
  • Flag of convenience — Contextualizes the core work of ITF inspectors.
  • Maritime Labour Convention 2006 — Key international standard mentioned in the talk.

98 words

Radar Profile

The radar profile shows moderate to high scores in information quality and reliability, with lower ratings for technical depth and quantity of detail. This suggests the content is credible and well-structured but not deeply technical or exhaustive.

Reliability 8/10