MUSCAT: The Sultanate of Oman has become the 100th country to ratify a 2006 treaty that protects the rights, pay and conditions of seafarers — a milestone that was commemorated on Monday by a ceremony at the headquarters of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in Geneva.
The ratification means more than 96 per cent of the world’s gross shipping tonnage is now covered by the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), which also applies to most countries that supply workers for the sector.
Guy Ryder, the Director-General of the International Labour Organisation, described the development as a milestone. He said: "Oman, a long-standing maritime nation, has shown the way forward for other countries in the region. Indeed, Oman becomes the first member of the Gulf Cooperation Council to join the global efforts to ensure decent work for seafarers and fair competition for shipowners."
On March 29, the Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman to the United Nations in Geneva, Idris bin Abdulrahman al Khanjari, formally submitted the ratification documents.
Speaking at the ceremony, Al Khanjari underscored his country’s commitment to safeguarding the labour rights of those who work on the high seas.
“Joining the MLC, 2006, is a clear confirmation of the Sultanate of Oman’s long-standing tradition as a prominent maritime nation in the region. This ratification reaffirms the commitment of my country to uphold the provisions of the Convention to achieve decent work for seafarers,” he said.
The Maritime Labour Convention brought together a large number of existing labour standards that no longer reflected contemporary working and living conditions, had low ratification levels, or inadequate enforcement and compliance systems.
Combining them into one Convention makes it easier for countries to regulate and enforce consistent industry norms and standards worldwide, according to the ILO.
The MLC was adopted in February 2006 and entered into force on August 20, 2013.
Since then, it has become a worldwide reference for the maritime industry and a pillar of international maritime rules and regulations.
The heads of two organisations that represent seafarers and shipowners, respectively, have also welcomed this latest ratification.
“As the first Gulf State to adopt the MLC, Oman extends the safeguards of this Convention not only to its own seafarers, but also to those who call into its ports and navigate through its strategically important waters,” said Stephen Cotton General Secretary of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF).
The Secretary-General of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), Guy Platten, stated it is now more vital than ever for more Governments to ratify the Convention.
“Reaching 100 signatories is an important milestone. As we saw throughout the pandemic and the crew change crisis, governments who have ratified the Convention must stand by their words and take action to protect seafarers’ rights,” he said.
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