Introduction to

Maritime Labour Convention 2006Convention, 2006

General IntroductionGuidance and Application

By Prabhash Sinha

GENERAL EXPLANATION OF THE MLC, 2006GENERAL EXPLANATION OF THE MLC, 2006

• Consolidate and update more than 60 earlier ILOC ti d R d tiConventions and Recommendations;

• Set minimum requirements for seafarers to work on a ship;• Address conditions of employment, accommodation,

recreational facilities, food and catering, health protection,medical care, welfare and social security protection;

• Promote compliance by ship‐owners and give governmentssufficient flexibility to implement its requirements; and

• Strengthen enforcement mechanisms, including complaintprocedures available to seafarers, the ship‐owners’ andp pshipmasters’ supervision on their ships, the flag States’control, and PSC of foreign ships.

WHYWAS THE MLC, 2006 ADOPTED?WHY WAS THE MLC, 2006 ADOPTED?

• Many of the existing ILO instruments needed to be updated to reflect the working conditions in the industryworking conditions in the industry.

• Increased internationalization of ship registries and “Flags of Convenience”.• Changes in ownership, financing and the rise of ship management 

l f h f h l b k f fcompanies resulting in significant shifts in the labor market for seafarers.

• Development of mixed nationality crews in highly organized global network linking ship‐owners, ship managers and crew managers.

• A need to provide a “level playing field” and avoid exploitation of workers.• Increased stress and complexity in the maritime work place that has an 

impact on the health and social security.

ADVANTAGES OF THE MLC, 2006ADVANTAGES OF THE MLC, 2006

For Seafarers• A comprehensive set of basic maritime labourprinciples and rights as well as ILO fundamental rights.

• Convention spells out in one place and clear languagep p g gseafarers’ basic employment rights.

• Seafarers better informed of their rights and remediesavailable.

• Improved enforcement of minimum working and livingconditions.

• Right to make complaints both on board and ashore.Right to make complaints both on board and ashore.• Clear identification of who is the ship‐owner withoverall responsibility.

SEAFARERS’ EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL RIGHTSSEAFARERS EMPLOYMENT AND  SOCIAL RIGHTS

As a bare minimum every seafarer has:

• The right to a safe and secure workplace that  complies with safety standards.

• A right to fair terms of employment.g p y

• A right to decent working and living conditions on  board ship.

• A right to health protection, medical care, welfare measures and other forms of social protectionforms of social protection.

COMPLIANCE REQUIREDCOMPLIANCE REQUIRED

• August 20, 2012 This is theAugust 20, 2012 This is thedate on which qualifyingconditions for MLC, 2006to enter into force weremet.

• August 20, 2013 This is thedate on which theprovisions of MLC, 2006become enforceable.

MLC, 2006 RATIFICATIONMLC, 2006 RATIFICATION

Q: Why is it important toQ: Why is it important toknow which countries haveratified the Convention?ratified the Convention?

A: No more favorableA: No more favorabletreatment clause.

List of Countries that  Ratified MLC ‐ 2006

NOMORE FAVOURABLE TREATMENTNO MORE FAVOURABLE TREATMENT

DefinitionDefinition:: The concept which prevents ships flying flags of States thath ’t i d th C ti f h i f i d thaven’t signed the Convention from having an unfair advantage overships flying the flag of States that have.Article V establishes the principle of “no more favourable treatment”, aprinciple that is also found in the key IMO conventions:principle that is also found in the key IMO conventions:

Essentially it requires a ratifying Member to apply Conventionstandards to a foreign ship in its ports (if it chooses to inspect theship), even if the flag State of the ship has not ratified theConvention.This may provide an incentive for ratification of the Conventionand help to secure a level playing field with respect toemployment rightsemployment rights.

MLC – 2006 FLOWCHART

STEPS TO CERTIFICATIONManagement IssuesTitle 1 – Requirements for Seafarers to work onboard.Title 2 – Conditions of EmploymentTitle 3 – Accommodations

Labour Management System• Core ILO requirements.• Company requirements.

dTitle 3 – Accommodations, recreational facilities, food and catering.Title 4 – Health protection, medical care, welfare and social protection.

• Administration requirements and equivalencies.

• Ship‐specific requirements. 

pTitle 5 –Compliance / enforcement.

Physical ArrangementsTitle 3 – Accommodations, 

DMLC – PART IAdministration’s national requirements to comply with the MLC 2006

DMLC – PART IICompany’s procedures to comply with the MLC 2006 and DMLC Irecreational facilities, food 

and catering.

Administration/RO reviews DMLC‐Administration/RO surveys ship 

with the MLC 2006 and DMLC I

II against DMLC‐I

Administration/RO audit ship for MLC issuance

arrangement.

CERTIFICATION TERMSCERTIFICATION TERMS

• DMLC, Part I: Issued by the registry (the flag State /, y g y ( g /Member State)

• DMLC, Part II: Developed by the ship‐owner / operatort h li ith DMLC P t Ito show compliance with DMLC, Part I

• DMLC: DMLC, Parts I and II together; must be attachedto the Maritime Labour Certificate for validityto the Maritime Labour Certificate for validity

• Maritime Labour Certificate: Issued by the RecognizedOrganization (RO) on behalf of the flag State; must becarried aboard the ship to show compliance

14 AREAS OF INSPECTION Which Are Most Problematic For Compliance? 

1. Minimum Age 2 M di l C tifi ti2. Medical Certification 3. Qualification of Seafarers 4. Seafarers’ Employment Agreements 5. Use of Private Recruitment and Placement Services 6. Hours of Work or Rest 7. Manning Levels 8. Accommodation 9 On Board Recreational Facilities9. On‐Board Recreational Facilities 10. Food and Catering 11. Heath Safety and Accident Prevention 12. On‐Board Medical Care 13. On‐Board Complaint Procedures 14. Payment of Wages 

STARTING THE COMPLIANCE PROCESSSTARTING THE COMPLIANCE PROCESS 

Step 1:  Perform a gap analysis*S 2 B i f h h b i l i l /Step 2:  Bring any areas of concern, such as where a substantial equivalency/ 

exemption may be permitted and necessary, to the attention of the Administrator. 

Step 3:  Formally request the issuance of a DMLC, Part I h d i i i h ffi i lStep 4:  The Administrator issues the official DMLC, Part I 

Step 5:  The DMLC, Part II is prepared by the Company/Shipowner (in consultation with the RO) for certification of the DMLC, Part II by the RO. 

Step 6:  Upon completion of the DMLC (Part I and Part II), the vessel inspection f f h fprocess for issuance of the ML Certificate is arranged. 

*Since the DMLC II is the initial legal document to be prepared by ship owners forMLC, 2006 for shipboard inspection and certification, the 14 areas of the DMLC II arep pidentified as the processes necessary for effective implementation of the MLC, 2006requirements, and these areas of the DMLC II are identical to the ISM code and otherrelated IMO/ILO conventions.

MLC – 2006 OverviewMLC 2006 Overview

• for ship-owners it will provide the proverbialfor ship owners it will provide the proverbial‘level playing field’ that they need in thecompetitive global enterprise of shipping

• for unions it will be a bill of rights• for maritime ministry practitioners it will be a

companion to the Holy Bible.• for seafarers it will provide international

t ti i t l it ti d bprotection against exploitation and abuse.

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSIONDon’t Panic 

• Much of MLC, 2006 is documenting compliance rather than fundamentally changing how we operate. 

Take Action to Comply p y

• Begin a dialog with  Flag State and RO (Classification Society).(Classification Society).

THANK YOUTHANK YOU