Oman has become the 100th country to ratify a 2006 treaty that protects the rights, pay and conditions of seafarers.
The ratification means more than 96 per cent of the world’s gross shipping tonnage is now covered by the Maritime Labor Convention (MLC).
It also applies to most countries that supply workers for the sector.
This milestone was commemorated Monday in a ceremony at the Geneva headquarters of the International Labour Organization.
The ILO Director-General, Guy Ryder said Oman, a longstanding maritime nation, has set an example 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,” he added.
The Ambassador of Oman to the UN in Geneva, Idris Abdul Rahman Al Khanjari, formally submitted the ratification documents on 29 March.
Speaking at the ceremony, Al Khanjari underscored Oman’s commitment to safeguarding the labor rights of those who work on the high seas.
Ensuring Consistency
The MLC was adopted in February 2006 and entered into force on 20 August 2013.
Since then, it has become a worldwide reference for the maritime industry and a pillar of international maritime rules and regulations.
The MLC brought together a large number of existing labor 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 heads of two organizations that represent seafarers and shipowners, respectively, praised the 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).
COVID-19 caused hundreds of thousands of seafarers to be effectively stranded at sea because they were unable to disembark from ships.
This includes repatriation at the end of their tours of duty, thus putting the safety and future of shipping at risk.