Global shipping industry sets sail under new standard

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“This convention is a milestone in maritime history,” said ILO general director Guy Ryder. “The product of tripartite dialogue and international cooperation, it enables decent working and living conditions for seafarers to be advanced, along with fair competition for shipowners in this, the most globalised of industries.”

To date, more than 45 ILO member states representing over 75 per cent of global gross shipping tonnage have ratified the convention.

“The coming into force of the MLC, 2006 is a unique event in the history of international maritime labour law,” said Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, ILO director of the International Labour Standards Department. “It is now incumbent on all to ensure that ratification and legal implementation translate into law and practice so that the world's seafarers can truly benefit from the protection of the convention and that shipowners who meet the decent work requirements of the Convention can enjoy the benefits it offers.”

“The ILO will continue to work with governments and with seafarers' and shipowners' organisations and other key actors in the maritime industry to help ensure that the goals of the MLC, 2006 are achieved,” Doumbia-Henry stressed.

Vietnam became the 37^th country to ratify the convention in May 2013.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on 25 July approved the national MLC implementation plan.

The important blueprint requires an overall upgrading of domestic marine laws by 2015; comprehensive assessment and certification for all Vietnamese ships in 2013; the establishment of a tripartite consultation mechanism involving representatives of the government, ship owners and seafarers this year; and investment in public information and entertainment structures for seafarers at sea ports by 2020.

“I congratulate the Vietnamese government on joining the MLC, their great efforts to bring the standards of their ships to the international level and strong commitment to protect their seafarers,” said ILO Vietnam’s country director Gyorgy Sziraczki.

He confirmed that the organisation would be “side by side with the country to provide capacity-building and technical assistance to enable it to overcome the challenges and bring the convention into life”.

According to the Vietnam Maritime Administration, the country has nearly 32,000 licenced seafarers including about 27,000 still working in national flag and international vessels. Its 1,700 national flag ships cover one tenth of the country’s exports and nearly half of container goods on domestic routes.