We’re glad but we’re not jumping for joy. To date, two ships have been detained for breaches of ILO Maritime Labour Convention, 2006. On 3rd September Denmark held the Liberian-registered OSV Atlantic Carrier, firing the first shot in the war on the mistreatment of seafarers. Canadian Port State Control followed suit on 6th September with the detention of the Cyprus-flagged bulk carrier LIA M. Both ships were released within 24 hours, after their owners corrected the Convention-related deficiencies.
As Aristotle said, one swallow does not a summer make. Not even two, we might add. Sixteen of the 51 countries that have thus far ratified MLC 2006 came on board only this year. They’re not expected to enforce the Convention until 2014 (one year after registration of their instrument of ratification). But what about those that had ratified the treaty earlier? It’s seven years from the time MLC 2006 was signed on 23rd February 2006 to its effectivity on 20th August 2013. As somebody on Twitter quipped, with the 1970 Beatles song in mind: ‘A long and winding road.’
The ITF (International Transport Workers Federation) has applauded the detentions in Denmark and Canada. ‘These detentions,’ said ITF seafarers’ section chairman Dave Heindel, ‘should be a wake-up call to shipowners who are not complying with the MLC, and a further reminder to those countries who haven’t yet ratified of why they need to.’ Wake-up call? What those who are sleeping need is shock. ~Barista Uno
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Good to note that you advocate shock therapy. But I am afraid that recalcitrant shipowners will treat these breaches like mozzie bites. Heavy fines may not be the only way…. how about publishing a Hall of Shame?
Thanks very much for weighing in, Johnny.
I’m tempted to publish, as you suggest, a Hall of Shame – probably covering the first 7 or 10 ships detained under MLC 2006. The list would include vessel particulars, flag of registry, name of owner/operator, port where detained, date of detention and date of release.
The question is how soon we’ll see that many detentions. MLC 2006 officially came into force on 20th August 2013 but only two detentions thus far. Where’s the force? 🙂
Barista, believe me, in time to come there will be a compilation of a Bad Management Practices (BMP). Well , to disassociate with the common terminology perhaps we can call it “A Book of Nightmares for Seafarers” (I can’t believe saying this on Friday the 13th..- **sprinkle salt**). Having said that, we also hope that good practices are encouraged and publicized in great blogs like yours, too.
Dear Barista, do please compile a “List of Shame” including owners managers and P&I Clubs (all available on Equasis). Such a list will do a lot to “promote compliance” with the MLC…
So to start with:
Name of ship : LIA M
IMO number : 9525625
Call sign : 5BUC3
Gross tonnage : 45999 (84094 dwt)
Type of ship : Bulk Carrier
Year of build : 2013
Class Society: LR
Owners:
IMO number : 5028268
Name : TRANSMED SHIPPING CO LTD
Address : 67, Thiseos Avenue, Nea Erythraia, 146 71 Athens, Greece.
Clearly, no rust bucket. So this tells us that Canada at any rate is enforcing the MLC vigorously.
Few bones thrown our way is not it, too. We need ‘Real’ changes like putting a stop to the practices hidden from the public eye. A bit of scare tactic would make a lot mum on how bad the conditions are, while the rest of us are making bets on a burning house.
Now that there’s a two-man clamor, I will surely come out with such a list. Let’s wait till the detentions reach 10 or at least seven – by next Christmas, I hope. 🙂
Thank you, Andrew.
Barista, I think you need to come out with “Best Practices in the Implementation of the ILO/MLC 2006” and show listings of companies who are implementing the best practices and how they do it .
Companies who will appear on the list of doing best practices will be tagged as “Hall of Honour”, while those who still refuse to follow the ILO/MLC 2006 provision will be placed in the “Hall of Shame”.
Nice to hear that … Thanks for all the information.
Barista i am now on board and it seems MLC is not effective.
1. Food allowance is not sufficient, food budget is not enough. As per MLC, crew needs a glass of milk juices and others daily. but if you include this to your provision list you will have nothing to eat.
2. Cook working alone in the galley, cooking food for 20 crew from Monday to Sunday without receiving overtime pay.
3. Ships becoming bigger and the crew becoming less and ISM documentation is adding up everyday.
And it seems MLC inspector didn’t notice all these things. Most vessels now have MLC certificates valid for 5 years. No flag state is interested to find out what’s really needed on board by the crew. So my opinion: MLC is USELESS.