Ankara University National Center for the Sea and Maritime Law (DEHUKAM), in collaboration with the World Maritime University (WMU) and Piri Reis University, organized the “Train the Trainers: Strengthening Seafarers’ Living and Working Conditions at Sea,” held August 27–29, 2026, under the “The BlueRights COST Action” research grant of the European Science and Technology Cooperation (COST) Program.
The training program was organized within the framework of the theme “living and working conditions on ships and platforms,” which is the primary focus of Sub-Working Group 3.1 (SWG 3.1) under Working Group 3 (WG3), titled “Protection of Health at Sea,” of the BlueRights initiative. Bringing together national and international academics, industry representatives, and researchers, the training program examined the living and working conditions of seafarers on board ships from various perspectives and discussed concrete steps that could be taken to improve these conditions.
On the first day of the training program, which lasted three days and began with opening speeches by DEHUKAM CEO Dr. Mustafa Başkara; Assoc. Prof. Khanssa Lagdami presented “MLC 2006 and the Challenges Seafarers Face,” Dr. Daniel Stein presented “Working Conditions, Fatigue & Safety Risks,” Dr. Ceren Cerit Dindar presented “Seafarers’ Rights in Türkiye and Compliance with the MLC 2006,” and Jonathan Warring presented “Seafarer Abandonment.”
On the second day, presentations were given by Prof. İpek Sevda Söğüt on “Seafarers’ Right to Health and Decent Working Conditions at Sea: Access to Medical Care and the Shipowner’s Duty of Care,” by Prof. Laura Carballo Piñeiro on “Legal Protection of Seafarers’ Wages,” and by Dr. Mustafa Başkara on “Criminalization of Seafarers in the Event of Maritime Accidents.” Following the presentations, a visit was made to the General Directorate of Maritime Affairs of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure of the Republic of Türkiye, where the Head of the Training and Certification Department, Özer Özbey, delivered a presentation on the activities carried out within the General Directorate of Maritime Affairs specifically related to maritime transport and shipbuilding.
On the third day, Capt. Damla Gerzeli delivered a presentation titled “The Gender Dimension at Sea and Seafarers’ Practical Working and Living Conditions,” while Assoc. Prof. Eda Manav Özdemir presented on “Resolving Maritime Labor Disputes: Mediation, Arbitration, and Access to Justice for Seafarers.” In the last session of the third day, a Multi-Stakeholder Perspective Panel was held, moderated by DEHUKAM Senior Researcher Dr. Ceren Cerit Dindar, with contributions of Marlines Crew Management Founder Dilara Uyan and International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) Head of Legal Jonathan Warring, to discuss all aspects of the maritime sector.
