The Director of the International Labour Standards Department at the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Madam Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, has disclosed that the much-anticipated Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (MLC, 2006) would be implemented in 2011, after the ratification of the 30 states, with over 33% of the world's gross tonnage.

Madam Doumbia-Henry made this known at the opening of four day sub-region seminar on the MLC 2006, for English-speaking members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Accra.

It was disclosed that after the seminar, all five countries, namely Ghana, Gambia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Liberia, would ratify the convention.

The MLC 2006, commonly known as “Super Convention” for the world maritime sector, provides a comprehensive charter for both seafarers and ship owners.

The convention, when implemented, would provide an innovative and integrated approach to ensure decent work for all seafarers, irrespective of their geographical locations and nationalities.

It is specifically designed to help achieve the twin goals of ensuring a “level playing-field” for quality ship owners, and at the same time, provide concrete measures that will help to secure “Decent Work” for the world's more than 1.2 million seafarers.

Madam Doumbia-Henry observed that the convention was the result of a ship owner and seafarer initiative, developed through more than five years of intensive international tripartite consultations, involving more than 100 countries.

According to her, it was intended to be the “Fourth Pillar” in the international shipping regulation, complementing and supporting the major maritime conventions of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) on environment protection and ship safety and security.

The “Super Convention” brings together 37 conventions on almost every aspect of seafarers' decent working and living conditions, including minimum age, medical certificates, employment, repatriation, social security protection, employer liability for healthcare and costs of illness, occupation health and safety, food, wages and leave.

The Minister of Employment and Social Welfare, Mr. Stephen Amoanor Kwao, in his welcome remarks, pointed out that the seminar should serve as a platform for cross-fertilisation of ideals and experiences, to enable the sub-region find solutions for the ratification and implementation of the convention.

He entreated the participants to address the legislative gaps existing in their respective countries, and recommend to their governments on the ratification and implementation of the convention. Source: Masahudu Ankiilu Kunateh - Ghanaian Chronicle