Page 6 - 2022 - Q2 - Minerva in Focus

NEWS

News

Hour

The shipping industry

adopts amendments
to MLC to improve

seafarers’ conditions

#seafarersrights In addition to the amendments, the Special The “White, Grey, and Black (WGB) List” pre-
Tripartite Committee adopted a number of sents the full spectrum, from quality flags to
Governments, seafarers, and shipowners from resolutions related to bullying and harass- flags with a poor performance considered
the global shipping industry have recently ment of seafarers, including sexual assault high or very high risk. It is based on the total
agreed to eight amendments to the Maritime and sexual harassment; the financial se- number of inspections and detentions dur-
Labour Convention (MLC, 2006), as amended, curity system to protect seafarers in cases ing a 3-year rolling period for flags with at
with the aim of improving the living and work- of abandonment, and the need to adopt least 30 inspections in the period.
ing conditions of the world’s seafarers. measures to ensure that all seafarers have The “White List” represents quality flags with
adequate means of contractual redress a consistently low detention record. Flags with
More than 500 delegates attending part II against shipowners. an average performance are shown on the
of the Special Tripartite Meeting of the MLC, The meeting also agreed to raise the ILO “Grey List.” Their appearance on this list may
2006, met in hybrid format from 5 to 13 May minimum basic wage for an able seafarer serve as an incentive to improve and move to
2022. The amendments they agreed on will to US$658 as of 1 January 2023. The rate will the “White List.” At the same time, flags at the
ensure that: increase to US$666 as of 1 January 2024 and lower end of the “Grey List” should be careful
US$673 as of 1 January 2025. not to neglect control over their ships and risk
• seafarers have appropriately-sized per- The subcommittee also agreed that the fig- ending up on the “Black List” next year.
sonal protective equipment, in particular, ure of US $673 as of 1 March 2022 should be Regarding the “White, Grey, and Black List”
to suit the increasing number of women used as the basis for recalculation purposes for 2021, a total of 68 flags are listed: 40 on
seafarers; and discussion at the subcommittee’s next the “White List,” 21 on the “Grey List,” and 7
• good quality drinking water is available meeting in 2025. on the “Black List.” In 2020 the total number
free of charge for seafarers; of flag States on the list was 70, of which
• states further facilitate the prompt repa- Source: International Labour Organization 39 were on the “White List,” 22 on the “Grey
triation of abandoned seafarers; List,” and 9 on the “Black List.” The “White
in need of immediate assistance and fa- Paris MoU: The new Greece, Malta, and Liberia.
• states provide medical care for seafarers List” includes, among others, the flags of
cilitate the repatriation of the remains of performance lists for flag Compared to last year, the RO performance
seafarers who have died on board; level is similar. It is noteworthy that in the
• seafarers are provided with appropriate States and Recognized previous two years, no ROs have been cate-
social connectivity by shipowners, and gorized as performing “very low.”
states provide internet access in their Organizations When one or more detainable deficiencies are
ports; attributed to an RO, in accordance with the Paris
• seafarers are informed of their rights MoU criteria, it is recorded as “RO responsible.”
relating to the obligation of recruitment #inspections Out of 528 detentions recorded in 2021, 64 (12%)
and placement services to compensate were considered RO related (11% in 2020).
seafarers for monetary losses; and The Paris MoU Committee approved at its Due to their high performance, ABS, DNV, LR, &
• all seafarer deaths are recorded and 55th meeting the 2021 inspection results RINA meet the RO criteria for a low-risk ship.
reported annually to the ILO, and the rele- and adopted new performance lists for flag
vant data is published. States and Recognized Organizations (ROs). Source: Paris MoU

6 MINERVA IN FOCUS – ISSUE 20 / Q2 2022