I'm a journalist working on a documentary project and I need to find a
database or some sort of service to locate seven maritime workers who
were in service some 15 years ago - I don't know if they are still
working.

Due to ethical reasons, I can't disclose their names - all I can say
is that five of them are Americans, one is from Haiti and one is from
Costa Rica. So, my question is limited to that:

1. Which is the most comprehensive way to find an especific maritime
worker who may be working anywhere in the world?

2. Is there any consultation or database service which could help me
with that?

3. Is there any kind of such service which is free of charge? If not,
how much should I expect to pay for something like that?

Answers pointing to the best services of the kind available would be
appreciated - of course, if I can find any of the seven workers I'm
looking for I'd be eternally grateful.

---

Clarification of Question by ren222-ga on 23 Oct 2002 13:12 PDT

I forgot to clarify something: I'm a Brazilian journalist working in
Rio - but any service in the world, especially one I could access
remotely, via the web or phone, would be fine.

Hi,

Thanks for your question. 
I'm a colleague working now in China, but in the past I have been
working for the magazine of the Dutch transport workers' union and
have covered a lot of issues concerning seafarers.

I understand you do not want to disclose too much of your subject at
this public forum. But I would most certainly get in touch with the
International Transport Workers' Union in London (ITF). They have an
excellent network, especially among the seafarers: the first truly
globalized occupation.

Fifteen years ago the seafarer community would know each other much
butter than now, when many of them work on containerships and often
have no time to visit port cities anymore.

The ITF has been conduction actions surrounding the "flag of
convenience" where shipping lines for cost cutting reasons would
change the flag of their ship into those of some third-world countries
that would not have up-to-standard condition for their ships. Many of
the ITF's contacts come from that action. They would also give
individual assistance to seafarers

Their website also has many other links to relevant maritime websites,
that might be useful, depending on the kind of subject you are
covering.

When you contact them in London, ask for Kees Marges. He is a former
Dutch dock worker and excellent networker. He would help you. That
would of course all be for free.

Good luck with your work.

Fons

Relevant links:

The ITF home page:
http://www.itf.org.uk/

The FOC action:
http://www.itf.org.uk/seafarers/foc/foc.htm

Main maritime links:
http://www.itf.org.uk/SECTIONS/Mar/marlinks.htm

Search terms:

International Transport workers (Google)

Thanks a lot, Fons. That's exactly what I was expecting: know which is
the best workers union to help me with my search - and the name of
Kees Marges as a contact is a plus.