Resources on Shipping, ports, fisheries, and inland waterways sector

  1. Pacific regional tripartite workshop considered ILO Maritime Labour Convention

    30 November 2010

    The workshop that was held in Nadi, Fiji from 27 to 29 October 2010 brought together seafarers, ship-owners and government labour and maritime officers from Fiji, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and Vanuatu to promote the ratification and implementation of the MLC, adopted by the ILO’s International Labour Conference in 2006.

  2. Somalia: addressing the root causes of piracy and warlordism

    13 October 2009

    Faced with a dramatic increase in piracy off the Horn of Africa, countries have stepped up their efforts to protect shipping in the region. However, attention is now turning more to the question of why people turn to piracy to make a living and what can be done to provide an alternative. ILO Online reports from Somalia where an ILO programme financed by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) seeks to provide a visible peace dividend to poor communities by engaging them in large scale employment-intensive projects, together with enterprise skills development and the promotion of social dialogue.

  3. ILO welcomes new regulations on ship breaking as crisis boosts the industry

    29 May 2009

    After more than five years of negotiation, delegates from 59 countries to an International Maritime Organization (IMO) conference signed the Hong Kong Agreement regulating the recycling of ships on 15 May 2009. For the ILO, the agreement is an important step to make ship breaking decent work. ILO Online spoke with manufacturing specialist David Seligson and maritime industry specialist Dani Appave from the ILO Sectoral Activities Department.

  4. Achieving the seafarers’ international bill of rights: more than half way there!

    23 February 2009

    When the ILO adopted the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) on 23 February 2006, Director-General Juan Somavia called it a historic moment for the world’s more than 1.2 million seafarers. Three years on, in line with the ILO’s five-year Action Plan, this key global agreement has now been ratified by five major flag States and key ILO Members, representing nearly 45 per cent of the world’s gross tonnage. Many more Member ratifications supported by international industry agreements are already under way.

  5. Proper ship breaking: a test for globalization and decent work

    03 November 2008

    The last voyage of the ship "Otapan" to a Turkish ship breaking yard last July was a victory for "pre-cleaning" advocates of reducing the human and environmental dangers inherent in ship dismantling and recycling. But does it also lead to decent working practices? Last week, experts from the ILO, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), and the Basel Convention met to discuss measures to promote guidelines that would make ship breaking not only clean but "green". Questions and answers with a ship breaking expert from the ILO Sectoral Activities Branch.

  6. As shipping increases, so does the need for more port State control

    09 October 2008

    In response to an oil spill that fouled the west coast of France in 1978, European ministers took decisive action to establish a regional system for inspections of foreign ships in 1982. Yet the growing numbers of ship detentions in many ports worldwide show the continuous need for a global system of regular port inspections. From 22-26 September, more than 300 government, ship owner and seafarer representatives met at the ILO to adopt new guidelines on port state control under the Maritime Labour Convention of 2006. In this special report, ILO Online shows how inspections work and why they are needed.

  7. Maritime Labour Convention: Setting sail for a decent future

    10 September 2008

    When the ILO adopted the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 in February 2006, Director-General Juan Somavia called it “making labour history” for the world’s more than 1.2 million seafarers. Two years on, the MLC has been ratified by three key flag states representing nearly 20 per cent of the world’s gross tonnage with many more ratifications and industry agreements already under way. A five-year ILO action plan designed to achieve entry into force by 2011 is moving forward this month with two key tripartite experts’ meetings to adopt guidelines for flag State inspections and port State control officers. The ILO reports from the “City of London”, where the MLC is already being put to the test.

  8. Maritime Session of the International Labour Conference (7-23 February 2006): "labour history": ILO adopts new consolidated maritime Convention

    23 February 2006

    The consolidated Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 adopted by the ILO today is a ground-breaking, comprehensive global legal instrument concerning maritime labour standards for the world's ship owners, seafarers and maritime nations. The new Convention will not only address the need for decent working conditions for the world's more than 1.2 million seafarers, but may also provide the impetus and support for similar innovative and balanced approaches in other sectors. ILO Online spoke with Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, Director of the ILO's International Labour Standards Department, about the new Convention.

  9. Maritime Session of the International Labour Conference (7-23 February 2006): A new standard for the global shipping industry

    02 February 2006

    Nearly 1.2 million seafarers work for the world's shipping industry. The ILO now heads for a new Maritime Labour Convention reflecting the needs of a globalized shipping industry. If adopted, the standard will consolidate and update more than 65 international labour standards adopted over the last 80 years. ILO Online spoke with Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, Director of the ILO's International Labour Standards Department, about the new Convention.

  10. Maritime Session of the International Labour Conference (7-23 February 2006): The global seafarer: mixed fortunes mirror global trends

    29 January 2006

    Nearly 1.2 million seafarers work for the world's shipping industry. Aboard the world's cruise ships, crews often represent 20 nationalities or more. While the current shipbuilding boom has created strong demand for officers worldwide, the trend towards increasingly automated vessels also reduces the need for ratings. The ILO now heads for a new Maritime Labour Convention reflecting the needs of a globalized shipping industry. If adopted, the standard will consolidate and update more than 65 international labour standards adopted since the 1920s. Journalist Ian Gill reports from the Philippines.