THE ILO MARITIME LABOUR CONVENTION, 2006: GUIDANCE FOR SHIP OPERATORS ON PORT STATE CONTROL AS FROM 20 AUGUST 2013

On 20 August 2013, the ILO Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) will enter into force and ship operators will need to be ready. At the 2006 Diplomatic Conference which adopted the MLC, ILO also adopted a Resolution which recommends that Port State Control (PSC) should not commence until 12 months after entry into force, i.e. August 2014. However, some port states, if they have ratified the MLC, may still decide to subject ships to PSC inspections to check compliance with the MLC from 20 August 2013.* The following advice is intended to help ship operators avoid potential PSC problems.

The ILO MLC addresses a wide range of matters including shipping companies’ obligations regarding seafarers’ contractual arrangements, oversight of manning agencies, working hours, health and safety, crew accommodation, catering standards, and seafarers’ welfare.

Provided that they put in the effort, the vast majority of companies should not have any difficulty complying with the substance of the Convention, which in large part is derived from existing ILO maritime standards and accepted good employment practice.

However, the enforcement mechanism is new. Shipping companies therefore must get to grips with the certification process in order to avoid port state control problems, and take appropriate measures in the event that flag states have not issued required documentation or guidance.

* EU Members States, in conformity with an EU Directive, are required to implement ILO MLC standards from 20 August 2013. In theory this could involve PSC inspection of ships registered with other EU Member States, even if the port state has not ratified the MLC.

The International Shipping Federation (ISF) is the identity used by the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) when acting as the international employers’ organisation for ship operators. ISF co-ordinates the representation of shipowners at the International Labour Organization (ILO) in the development of maritime

labour standards.

As an official Social Partner under the tripartite ILO process, ISF was responsible for negotiating the text of the ILO MLC with governments and seafarers’ trade unions. ISF therefore has a very special interest in wanting to ensure the Convention’s smooth implementation.

The membership of ISF and ICS comprises national shipowners’ associations from 36 nations representing 80% of the world merchant fleet.

While the advice given in this guide has been developed using the best information currently available, it is intended purely as guidance to be used at the user’s own risk. No responsibility is accepted by Maritime International Secretariat Services Limited or by the International Chamber of Shipping Limited or by any person, firm, corporation or organisation who or which has been in any way concerned with the furnishing of information or data, the compilation, publication or any translation, supply or sale of this guide, for the accuracy of any information or advice given herein or for any omission herefrom or from any consequences whatsoever resulting directly or indirectly from compliance with or adoption of guidance contained herein even if caused by a failure to exercise reasonable care.

MLC Certification procedure

Shipowner requests certification for ship DMLC Part II reviewed by flag state

Initial MLC inspection of ship

Company to submit DMLC Part II to flag state

DMLC approved and Maritime Labour Certificate issued

Intermediate inspection (2-3 years)*

If ship changes owner or

flag, an Interim Certificate

may be issued for 6 months

prior to an early renewal

inspection and issue of new

Maritime Labour Certificate

Renewal Inspection (5 years)*

New Maritime Labour Certificate issued

Flag state to provide DMLC Part I showing issues

to be covered by DMLC Part II

New build ships can be issued

with an interim certificate

for 6 months

* Includes inspection of DMLC Part II

MARITIME LABOUR CERTIFICATE

The Maritime Labour Certificate is issued to the ship rather than the company, and is thus similar to the Safety Management Certificate issued to ships under the IMO International Safety Management (ISM) Code. During a PSC inspection, the Certificate is prima facie evidence that a ship complies with the ILO Convention standards to the extent set out in the DMLC. Certificates will normally be issued for five years, with an intermediate inspection between two and three years after the first flag state inspection. If a ship has not yet been issued with a Maritime Labour Certificate, the company should contact the flag state (even if it has not yet ratified the MLC) requesting an immediate inspection, and maintain copies of subsequent correspondence on board the ship. Some flag states may decide to issue ‘temporary’ or ‘provisional’ certificates in advance of a flag state inspection for MLC compliance being completed. It is therefore recommended that ship operators that might not be in possession of MLC certification before 20 August 2013 explore this possibility with their flag states. (This may also be relevant to flag states that have still not yet ratified the MLC prior to August 2013, given that widespread PSC enforcement is expected to commence in August 2014, although there is no guarantee that such documents will be accepted by port states.)

DECLARATION OF MARITIME LABOUR COMPLIANCE (DMLC)

Notwithstanding the advice above, it is strongly recommended that all ships prepare a DMLC Part II before 20 August 2013 in order to avoid difficulties during PSC inspections. The purpose of the DMLC is to demonstrate ongoing compliance with the MLC standards, and to help PSC inspectors to check that relevant national requirements are being properly implemented. The DMLC should set out national requirements implementing the Convention for working and living conditions on board the ship. It should be issued by the flag state as an attachment to the Maritime Labour Certificate and be comprised of two parts. Part II must be completed by the shipping company.

Part I of the Declaration should be prepared by the flag state to identify matters for flag state inspection. Part II of the Declaration should be drawn up and maintained by the company for every ship. This should identify the measures adopted by the company to ensure compliance between inspections. When preparing the DMLC Part II, it is essential for companies to follow instructions from individual flag states which will differ from country to country. Flag states should therefore be providing ships with a DMLC Part I and should be issuing detailed advice to shipowners about preparing the DMLC Part II and the particular national format and content which may be required.

If the flag state has not issued the ship with a DMLC Part I by August 2013, has not issued specific advice about its national requirements, or has not provided the ship with the national format required for preparation of the DMLC Part II, ISF recommends that the ship:

• Carries a copy of a letter to the flag state requesting the DMLC Part I;

• Prepares a DMLC Part II following the model suggested in the ‘ISF Guidelines on the Application of the ILO MLC’ (which may then have to be adjusted once national guidance has been issued); and

• Has the means to demonstrate that the ship meets all the standards set out in the Convention, taking account of the checklist and advice contained in the ‘ISF Guidelines on the Application of the ILO MLC’.

The ISF Guidelines on the Application of the ILO MLC include a sample DMLC Part II as might be prepared by a shipping company, in a manner intended to be concise but comprehensive

PORT STATE CONTROL

Notwithstanding the ILO Conference Resolution recommending that the PSC enforcement of the MLC should be delayed until August 2014 – and the fact that any lack of certification should not, for an interim period, be regarded as a PSC deficiency – port states that have ratified the Convention at least 12 months beforehand are legally entitled to inspect visiting ships for compliance with MLC standards, even if the flag state of the ship has not ratified the Convention. Additional advice on port state control inspections is provided in the ‘ISF Guidelines on the Application of the ILO Maritime Labour Convention’. In the absence of MLC certification, which is meant to provide prima facie evidence that a ship complies with ILO Convention standards, it is unclear how PSC officers might inspect for MLC compliance unless there are ‘clear grounds’ for suggesting that living and working conditions are seriously sub-standard. However, the early preparation by the company of the DMLC Part II, using the model provided in the ISF Guidelines, should help the ship to demonstrate compliance if questions are asked. In practice, many of the MLC standards are similar to those already required by the ILO Merchant Shipping (Minimum Standards) Convention (ILO 147) which is already enforced by some port state control authorities.

It should be noted that the new accommodation requirements in the MLC only apply to ships constructed after August 2013, although all other new requirements will need to be met.

However, one new requirement, which might be examined by PSC, is the establishment of a ‘complaints procedure’. It is therefore recommended that documentation explaining the complaints procedure is maintained on board the ship. Advice can be found in the ‘ISF Guidelines’.

Port state control inspectors are also expected to give special attention to compliance with seafarers’ work/rest hour limits as specified by the MLC, including the requirement to maintain individual records, since these requirements are already in force under the IMO STCW Convention.

In the event of PSC difficulties after August 2013

In the event of PSC difficulties, the ship might check:

• Whether the port state is aware of the ILO Resolution recommending PSC be deferred until August 2014? See http://bit.ly/186a7GV, Resolution XVII (page 12).

• Whether the port state ratified the Convention at least 12 months before the inspection (otherwise it is not entitled to exercise PSC)? See http://bit.ly/QHRuQa, and Article VIII, Paragraph 4 of the Convention.

• Whether the port state is aware that even if a flag state has ratified the MLC it is not required to issue certification until 12 months after entry into force? See http://bit.ly/QHRuQa, and Article VIII, Paragraph 4 of the Convention.

WHEN CAN PORT STATES EXERCISE PSC?

NATIONS ENTITLED TO EXERCISE PSC FROM 20 AUGUST 2013

(notwithstanding ILO Recommendation)

Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Gabon, Kiribati, Latvia, Liberia, Luxembourg, Marshall Islands, Netherlands, Norway, Palau, Panama, Philippines, Poland, Russian Federation, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Togo, Tuvalu.

NATIONS ENTITLED TO BEGIN EXERCISING PSC BETWEEN

20 AUGUST 2013 AND 20 AUGUST 2014

Barbados, Fiji, Finland, France, Greece, Lebanon, Malta, Morocco, Nigeria, Serbia, South Africa, Viet Nam.

Exact dates of ratification (with PSC being permitted 12 months later) can be found at http://bit.ly/QHRuQa.

NATIONS THAT HAVE NOT YET RATIFIED THE ILO MLC*

These states are not permitted to enforce PSC until 12 months after the date of ratification – See Article VIII, Paragraph 4 of the Convention.

In December 2012, to assist employers, ISF published extensive Guidelines on the Application of the ILO Maritime Labour Convention. In addition to a detailed example of Part II of the DMLC as it might be prepared by a shipping company, these Guidelines include a checklist to help shipowners in preparation for port state control inspections.

The ILO MLC (and the IMO STCW Convention) requires ships to maintain detailed reports of work/rest hours in order to demonstrate compliance with ILO (and IMO) regulations. These records can be inspected by port state control. The ISF Watchkeeper software enables ship operators to comply with the individual work/rest hour requirements and produce compliant tables of shipboard working arrangements. For a free trial visit www.isfwatchkeeper.com.

Several provisions within the MLC are also covered by the requirements of the IMO Safety Management System (ISM) Code. Therefore, documentation relating to compliance with some MLC requirements should be covered by ISM. For more information on the IMO ISM Code and Safety Management Systems see the ICS/ISF Guidelines on the Application of the IMO ISM Codе.

Published in July 2013 by

International Shipping Federation/International Chamber of Shipping

38 St Mary Axe

London

EC3A 8BH

Telephone + 44 20 7090 1460

info@ics-shipping.org

www.ics-shipping.org

Источник:

http://www.ics-shipping.org/ilopscguidance.pdf