The ITF Inspectorate coordinator for Croatia and head of the Dubrovnik office of the Seafarers' Union of Croatia (SPH), Romano Perić, explained that the two-month campaign included four "flags of convenience" (FOC) -- Togo, Palau, Sierra Leone and the Cook Islands.
"These are countries with less strict laws, so ship owners save money when they register ships that do not meet the usual requirements for sailing. These four are the most common in the Mediterranean, but there are also Bolivia or Mongolia, which do not have a sea," said Perić.
He underscored that these ships, which are on average over 40 years old, endanger seafarers and the environment, adding that the conditions on them are inhumane.
He added that 300 to 400 such ships dock in Croatia per year, and there are about 1,200 of them in the Mediterranean.
"Twenty-seven ITF inspectors will carry out detailed inspections in the Mediterranean. We register each ship in our system and send a report to the headquarters in London, where all the data and statistics are monitored," said Perić.
He announced that three ITF inspectors from Croatia would carry out the campaign in our ports and they would also be sent to the neighbouring countries, including Slovenia and Albania.