The Maritime Union has once again launched an alarm about the future of the former ILVA fleet, and in particular of the Corona ships Australe and Corona Borealis stopped at the quay in the port of Taranto without any maintenance for about two years, and for the possible negative impact on seafarers. "After years of inactivity and uncertainty about the future of the ships of the society - explained the president of the association, Vincenzo Bellomo - the hypothesis of a their final demolition, with serious employment repercussions for about 240 seafarers".

The Maritime Union recalled that it had at the time reported to the extraordinary commissioners of the ILVA group in Administration Extraordinary and Acciaierie d'Italia, also in the meantime subject to extraordinary administration, to the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy, to the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport and the competent maritime authorities, the conditions of serious degradation in which some naval units of the fleet, left stationary on the quay for about two years without any maintenance or operational relaunch program. "For some time - denounced Bellomo and the lawyer Fabio Altese, lawyer of the organization - we had expressed strong fears about the future of these boats and the workers involved, asking Clarifications that never arrived. Our association has firmly opposed to the decommissioning of the Corona ships Borealis and Corona Australis, also facing a tough with local maritime authorities to safeguard jobs, convinced that disarmament would represent the prelude to the decommissioning of the entire former ILVA fleet. Today those fears risk turning into reality: if the ships will be scrapped, about 240 seafarers will lose their employment".

The association highlighted that the possible divestment of the fleet would represent a very hard blow for dozens of families that are economically dependent on maritime activities linked to the steel industry.

"We learn - continued Bellomo - that some acronyms have requested a meeting with the management of Acciaierie d'Italia. We wonder where the unions were when the procedures for the decommissioning of the Corona ships were initiated Borealis and Corona Australis. We understand that they were present at the tables with the managers of Acciaierie d'Italia and with the maritime authorities when discussing the drastic reduction of staff assigned to the security service, going so far as to give consent so that the crews were reduced to three or four units, or even replaced with ground guard services. Decisions to be taken Our association has firmly opposed it. Today the ships are laid up and the seafarers employed in the service of guards are nine, also thanks to the battles we have undertaken, confronting the authorities harshly maritime services. We also wonder where the unions were when, for example, For decades, seafarers were embarked on floats without any contract of enlistment and without the correct recognition contributory system".