Recruitment of Chinese Seafarers for Foreign Ships:Main Actors, Their Roles and Relationships

摘要

1 IntroductionAccording to the Chinese official report, China has 1.55 million sailors, the largest number in the world. Of this total, about one third (510,000) are employed on sea/ocean-going ships, including 200,000 crewing the ocean-going vessels. About a quarter of these ocean-going seafarers are placed on foreign ships including those owned or managed in Hong Kong and Taiwan (Liu, 2007; Xin, 2006). Although a low profile when compared with the number sourced from other major supplying countries like India and the Philippines, these Chinese seafarers contribute significantly to the operation of the world ships, along side with those employed in the Chinese national fleets. There are many issues concerning seafarers in this category, such as their working/living and other employment conditions, their promotion and career development, their interaction with seafarers from other countries, their relationship with their foreign owners and managers and the list runs long. However, the major concern of this paper is to identify the key actors or institutions involved in the recruitment of seafarers for foreign shipping companies and to analyse their roles and relationships in the process. Particular attention has been given to the level of regulation and control of crewing agencies' practices, or the lack such control and regulation in the country. The paper, in conclusion also makes observations and references to the recent important changes in policy and legislation at both national and international levels with some preliminary analysis on its implications to seafarers' recruitment in future.