ITF Requests Inquiry into Tug Boat Captain’s Death After Working Extended Shifts

The issue of fatigue among tug operators at the Panama Canal is again attracting attention after the captain of a tugboat is said to have died due to a grueling work schedule. 

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) is calling on the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) to take action after a 59-year-old captain died aboard the tug Cerro Santiago. The captain died on September 30 while assisting a northbound Neopanamax vessel. He was said to have been working an extended midnight watch on his sixth consecutive day of duty.

While initial reports indicate the captain of the 2013-built tug died due to a possible stroke, ITF wants the cause of death to be established through a thorough, independent, and transparent investigation.

The ITF is making reference to the fact that fatigue among tug workers has, over the years, been a major issue of concern. For that reason, the investigation into the captain’s death, it says, must include reviewing the possibility of fatigue and must include mechanisms to enforce workers’ protections in terms of rest, consecutive duties, working hours, and staffing.

Read more on The Maritime Executive.