Maritime Labour Convention ratified

The MLC Convention, which will come into force in a year’s time, covers conditions of employment, hours of work and rest, accommodation, recreational facilities, food and catering, health protection, medical care, welfare and social security protection. It overlaps with the IMO’s Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) Convention which was revised in 2010.

The recent ratification of the MLC by the Russian Federation and the Republic of the Philippines fulfils the requirement that at least 30 ILO member countries ratify the Convention. The other requirement, that ratifying countries represent 33% of the world’s gross shipping tonnage, was met in 2009. The 30 countries represent nearly 60% of the world’s shipping tonnage. This means that seafarers working on more than 50% of the world’s international shipping will be covered by the new ILO Convention.