Sailing under the red duster : Maltese merchant seafarers in the twentieth century

Abstract

Movement across borders is a defining characteristic of many of those involved in maritime labour. long before migration became an issue, seafarers had travelled considerable distances from their home on board vessels flying the flag of their own or other countries, as ships’ masters have tended to recruit as and where the need arose, at least when not shackled by state or other regulations. As a consequence, crews on board merchant vessels have tended to be cosmopolitan in character, as seafarers signed on and off and generally needed replacing for a number of reasons ranging from death to desertion. This trend has continued to the present day, with ever-increasing recourse to a multi-national maritime workforce in the ceaseless pursuit of lower costs.