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The International Labour Organization (ILO) adopted on February 23 a comprehensive new labour standard for the world's maritime sector, in what ILO Director-General Juan Somavia called a landmark development in the world of work.
The new Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 was adopted by a vote of 314 for, with no votes against and four abstentions at the 94th International Labour Conference (Maritime).
The new Convention clearly sets out, in plain language, a seafarers' "bill of rights" while allowing a sufficient degree of national discretion to deliver those rights with transparency and accountability. The Convention also contains provisions allowing it to keep in step with the needs of the industry, and help secure universal application and enforcement.
Its provisions will help to meet the demand for quality shipping, which is crucial to the global economy. The Convention will apply to all ships engaged in commercial activities with the exception of fishing vessels and traditional ships (such as dhows and junks).
The new Convention is designed to encourage compliance by operators and owners of ships and strengthen enforcement of standards at all levels, including provisions for onboard and onshore complaint procedures for seafarers regarding the shipowners' and shipmasters' supervision of conditions on their ships, the flag States' jurisdiction and control over their ships.
The Convention sets minimum requirements for seafarers to work on a ship and contains provisions on conditions of employment, hours of work and rest, accommodation, recreational facilities, food and catering, health protection, medical care, welfare and social security protection.
Among the novel features of the Convention are its form and structure with legally binding standards accompanied by directions given by guidelines.
Under the new Convention, ships that are larger than 500 GT and engaged in international voyages or voyages between foreign ports will be required to carry a "Maritime Labour Certificate" and a "Declaration of Maritime Labour Compliance".
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