Chris Given is the Director of Government Relations for the Seafarers’ International Union of Canada (SIU) and is based in Ottawa, Ontario. The SIU Canada represents the majority of unlicensed seafarers working in the Canadian maritime industry on vessels operating across the Country. Chris has been with the SIU for over six years and is responsible for all advocacy work in relation to government policies and regulations impacting marine shipping and seafarers in Canada and abroad.  

 

Chris is also an elected member of the International Transport Workers’ Federation - Maritime Safety Committee, which is the specialized body of the ITF that works directly in the IMO on all committees and sub-committees, speaking on behalf of over 1.2 million seafarers represented by affiliated unions worldwide. Chris has assisted in co-developing the ITF policies on Ship automation and future work and is involved in the ongoing work related to MASS that is underway at the IMO.