Successful Seminar on ILO-Maritime Labour Convention 2006

SafeMed II focuses on seafarers’ rights and conditions at Lisbon seminar

During a 3-day seminar in Lisbon, the SafeMed II Project explained to its beneficiaries the standards set by the International Labour Organisation - Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (ILO-MLC 2006), and promoted its ratification in the project’s beneficiaries, namely Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, the Palestinian Authority, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey. The Convention offers seafarers a practical safeguard through its set of rights and minimal working standards.

During the seminar held in close cooperation with the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) at its headquarters, twenty participants from all ten SafeMed beneficiaries were briefed about the convention’s minimal working standards for seafarer and its stipulated set of rights. These range from conditions of employment to life on board ship, including health and welfare.

Lectures were delivered by seven experts from the International Labour Office, European Commission, EMSA, EU/EFTA, and National Administrations. The follow-up exercises carried out during the Lisbon seminar resulted in varied discussions that clearly showed the high level of interest by participants, and that they had absorbed new knowledge and deeper insight about this specialised subject area.

Once the ILO-MLC 2006 enters into force, it will give authorities in the respective beneficiaries increased monitoring and control powers that are intended to result in an improvement for all personnel on board. The beneficial consequences reach beyond seafarers' well-being as they will also lead to safer navigation and avoidance of maritime accidents.

More information on the ILO-MLC 2006 can be found at:  www.ilo.org