For the last 5 years, the ILO has supported Ministry of Manpower to exercise the authority of its labour inspectors onboard fishing vessels. During this period, the ILO facilitated joint activities between Ministry of Manpower and Local Manpower Offices, and Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, as well as the Local Marine Affairs and Fisheries Offices, in particular to promote joint inspection onboard fishing vessel. For example, in 2018, ILO supported the Ministry of Manpower and Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries to develop a manual on inspection of fishing vessel, with a pilot project in Bitung, North Sulawesi Province and Benoa, Bali.

Building on the earlier successes, Ship to Shore Rights South-East Asia Programme is currently working closely with both Ministry of Manpower and Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries as well as with Local Manpower Office of Central Java Province and Local Marine Affairs and Fisheries Office of Central Java Province to develop local level cooperation agreement between relevant local government offices to conduct joint inspection of fishing vessel in Central Java Province. This particular work has been endorsed by the latest National Programme Advisory Committee (NPAC) Meeting in March 2022, S2SR SEA facilitates relevant Ministries and local government offices to work together to by developing an agreed platform and mechanism at local level to implement labour inspection work in onboard fishing vessel.

In light of this background, two local government offices in Central Java Province, namely the Local Marine Affairs and Fisheries and Local Manpower and Transmigration Offices of Central Java Province worked together to develop a decree on joint inspection onboard fishing vessels. After series of meetings between the two local government offices supported by the Ship to Shore Rights Southeast Asia Programme, finally, in March 2023, the Regional Secretary of the Central Java Province issued a new Decree Number 523/012 Year of 2023 Concerning Joint Monitoring Team for Labour Norms on Fisheries Vessels at Fishing Ports within the Jurisdiction of the Central Java Province.