ILO ensures protection for 1.5 M seafarers

MANILA, Philippines - The world’s 1.5 million seafarers, including Filipino seamen, were ensured protection and ship owners fair competition after the International Labor Organization’s Maritime Labor Convention (MLC, 2006) came into force last Aug. 20.

On that date, the new convention became binding international law for the first 30 countries with registered ratifications on Aug. 20, 2012.

It will enter in force 12 months after ratification in other countries.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) said the Maritime Labor Convention set improved benefits and protection that seafarers, including around 300,000 Filipino seamen, are expected to receive.

IMO secretary-general Koji Sekimizu said 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 and medical care and welfare and social security protection.

The Philippines became the 30th ILO member state to ratify the treaty.

Thirty ILO member states, representing more than 33 percent of the world’s gross shipping tonnage, are needed to ratify the MLC for the treaty to enter into force.

To date, more than 45 ILO member states representing more than 70 percent of global gross shipping tonnage have ratified the convention.

ILO director-general Guy Ryder said the convention is a product of tripartite dialogue and international cooperation.

“This convention is a milestone in maritime history,” he said.

“It enables decent working and living conditions for seafarers to be advanced, along with fair competition for ship owners in this, the most globalized of industries.

“I call on all countries with a maritime interest to ratify – if they have not yet done so – and urge governments and ship owners to work effectively to implement this Convention.”