Practical implementation of the Programme

To achieve the fundamental objective of the ILO for the maritime industry, the Programme intends to utilise, first and foremost, the international labour maritime standards  and other tools developed by the Office over the last eighty years.

The special nature of the conditions of work and life of seafarers led the ILO to adopt an extensive range of Conventions and Recommendations applying specifically to seafarers. These instruments cover nearly all aspects of the working and living conditions at sea such as, for example, the minimum age for admission to employment; hours of work and rest periods; medical examination prior to employment aboard ship and periodically thereafter; conditions for shipboard employment; articles of agreement; repatriation; social security benefits; food, catering and accommodation; qualification requirement; vocational training and welfare facilities; safety and health requirements. These standards have influenced national legislation as well as the terms of collective agreements and employment contracts laying down the working conditions of seafarers throughout the world.

A priority activity for the programme on Decent Work in the Maritime Industry is the promotion, ratification and effective implementation of the maritime Conventions. A series of meetings with high-level politicians and ministerial officials will be convened, in order to inform and sensitise them of the benefits, for their administration as well as for their seafaring and shipowning community, of ratification and implementation of ILO maritime instruments. Moreover, in some countries which have already ratified important ILO Maritime instruments, there still is a need to bring the working and living conditions in line with the standards through an update/revision, as appropriate, of national laws and regulations, as well as the streamlining of an often unclear line of responsibility between different departments involved in seafarers= social welfare and to make progress in the effective implementation of the standards.

In addition, the level of ratification and implementation of core ILO standards, which apply to seafarers in the same way as to other workers, especially in the light of the Declaration of Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, adopted in 1998, needs to be pursued. These last two very important points will also form part of the agenda of the proposed meetings.

The Programme will develop an advocacy component to those in charge of the application and implementation of standards. The Programme will organise, as appropriate, seminars in this respect. The wider and better implementation of ILO standards will also contribute towards improving social protection for seafarers, safety at sea and consequently lead to better protection of the environment. A wide range of ILO publications will be used in the delivery of these activities.

Past experience has shown that, while governmental officials dealing with the shipping industry may be quite conversant with standards relating to safety and pollution prevention from ships that are under the purview of the IMO, a similar level does not, in many cases, exist as concerns the social/labour aspects. This is particularly the case for the inspection of both national and foreign registered ships where the inspectors are better trained on inspecting the technical aspects of the ship compared with ILO issues. In short, the training of qualified inspectors to inspect and address labour standards, as well as safety requirements, has to be promoted and enhanced.

The Programme will last for an initial period of 5 years and its scope and activities will be kept under continuous review. Depending upon impact, the Programme could also be extended if deemed necessary in the light of developments in the shipping industry. The Programme will be guided by the recommendations of an Advisory Committee and the evolution of the ILO=s programme of work for the maritime industry. The conclusions of the Joint Maritime Commission, especially concerning the possible revision of maritime labour standards, will be taken into account in this regard. The Programme will lend support to any follow-up recommendations made.

The Programme will also closely liaise with IMO to ensure the necessary coordination with its ongoing technical assistance programme and avoid undue duplication.