The International Committee on Seafarers' Welfare (ICSW) held a three-day convention in Goa from June 23 to 25, 2008, where eminent speakers discussed the various issues pertaining to the welfare and development of the Seafarers. The meet also had special interactive sessions on the International Labour Organization’s Maritime Labour Convention 2006.
The organizers declared that the purpose of the meet is to promote the welfare of Seafarers, to assess the practical implementation of ILO instruments on Seafarers’ welfare and evaluate the level and effectiveness of work in progress, to enhance communication between all parties and to encourage regional representatives to develop and adopt an effective project to develop Seafarers’ welfare during a period of four years.
Who spoke about what on Day-1
The meet opened on June 23rd 2008 with the welcome address by Dr Suresh N Idnani, Regional Coordinator, South Asia, ICSW. The first session of the day discussed ‘The ILO MLC 2006: Implementation of Seafarers’ Welfare and Health in South Asia. ’Mr Dani Appave, Senior Maritime Specialist, ILO spoke about the introduction of the programme. The other topics which were addressed by different speakers during this session are: Seafarers’ Welfare: Ms Neera Malhotra, Seafarers’ Trust: Mr Tom Holmer, The Seafarers’ Perspective: Capt Jason Soares, and The Ship-owners’ Perspective: Capt Saulat Majeed Khan.
The next part of the day was devoted to discussion on ‘The Maritime Labour Convention: Progress with Ratification in South African Countries’. While Mr Dani Appave dealt the topic from ILO’s perspective, the progress in the four representative nations of ICSW were elaborated by Mr Abdul Halim (Bangladesh), Mr Abdul Gani Serang (India), Mr Adam Panjri and Mr Safiqullah (Pakistan) and Mr Abeyrathna Bandra (Sri Lanka).
Then Mr Appave of ILO talked in detail about the Medical Certificate (Regulation 1.2), Medical Care (Regulation 4.1), Health and Safety Protection, and Accident Prevention (Regulation 4.3), Ship Owners’ Liberty (Regulation 4.2), Recreation Facilities (Regulation 3.1), Access to Shore-based Welfare Activities. His talk was followed by lively interactive sessions on each issue.
The session concluded with ‘Final Discussion on Role of ICSW, Welfare Agencies and Adoption Conclusions.’ The organizers in a press meet also briefed the purpose of the three-day event and the crucial responsible role played by the ICSW so far.
Day-Two
The second day of the convention marked the beginning of the two-day 5th Regional Welfare Committee meeting, which started with the welcome address and Regional Working Committee Chairman Capt Asitha Wijesekera (Sri Lanka)’s opening remarks. Then, Mr Michael Pinto (IAS), Vice Chairman of RWC, gave a report on ICSW- South Asia mid Programme Progress.
It was followed by addresses by Mr Tom Holmer, Administrative Officer, ITF-ST; Mr Dani Appave, Senior Maritime Specialist, ILO; Revd Hendrik F la Grange, Secretary General, ICMA. Then it was followed by reading of the Minutes of the last meeting and adopting of new minutes and Regional Coordinator Dr Idnani’s report presentation.
Dr Idnani in his address spoke in detail about ICSW’s regional development programmes;Promotion and practical implementation of the ILO instruments on Seafarers’ welfare; Training; Development & maintenance of facilities and services; Raising awareness and advocacy; Communication; Health and fitness; Ship visiting; Access to ships; and Welfare assistance for seafarers & their families.
The other issues which were addressed by the various eminent speakers during the day are as follows: Trust and ICSW Report by Mr Tom Holmer, Ship Visitor Training/ISPS Code by Revd David Potterton, India Report and Discussion which was participated by Capt Satish Sood, Capt KN Deboo, Mr Ronald D’Rose, Mr Sadhan Kanjilal, Port Levy and Sustenance of Seafarers’ Welfare by Revd Hendrik F la Grange, and Pakistan Report and Discussion by Capt Saulat Majid Khan and Mr Adam Panjri.
Final Day
The proceedings of the third and final day began with presentation of the Sri Lanka Report and subsequent discussion by Capta Asitha Wijeskara, Mr Panjan Perera, Capt Andrew Payne and Capt Nirmal Periera. The second agenda for the day was presentation of the Bangladesh Report by Md Alamgir Khan and Md Mahafuzul Qauder and subsequent discussion.
During the meet, Dr Idnani informed that the ‘10th International Symposium on Maritime Health’ will be held in Goa from September 23 to 26, 2009. The theme of the symposium is ‘Quality Maritime Health & Seafarers Welfare – A Global Perspective.’
The convention before conclusion also discussed the arrangement for the 6th RWC meet in Karachi, Pakistan.
(A report by Siddharth B Gangurde)
A word about Maritime Labour Convention, 2006
During the three-day meet in Goa, there were a lot of discussions on The International Labour Organization Convention 2006. For benefit of our readers, we present here some highlights of the ILO’s April 2006 convention, which claims to have adopted a sweeping new character for the maritime sector with the motto ‘Quality shipping worldwide.’ Addressing the convention then, ILO Director General Juan Somavia said, “We have made maritime labour history today.”
He added, “MLC 2006 shows the human capacity, intelligence and political will, exists to find balanced solutions to help make globalization fair. Other globalized sectors face similar challenges. Governments are trying to manage and develop national economies and specific sectors, while dealing with demands of adjustments to financial and trade liberalization. Businesses are struggling to succeed, grow and survive in the face of intensifying competition in domestic, regional and global markets. And workers often feel they are at the receiving end of these tensions.
“This is just the beginning. History will one day record that dialogue could address not only the challenges of living, working and conducting business at sea – but provide a new paradigm for dealing with the challenges of fair globalization as well.”
The new ILO convention modernizes the labour standards to:
-Consolidate and update more than 60 earlier ILO Conventions and Recommendations;
-Set minimum requirements for Seafarers to work on a ship;
-Address conditions of employment, accommodation, recreational facilities, food and catering, health protection, medical care, and welfare & social security protection;
-Promote compliance by operators and owners of ships by giving governments sufficient flexibility to implement its requirements in a manner best adapted to their individual laws and practices; and
-Strengthen enforcement mechanisms, at all levels, including provisions for complaint procedures available to Seafarers, the ship-owners’ and ship masters’ supervision of conditions on their ships, the Flag States’ jurisdiction and control over their ships, and port state inspections of foreign ships.
Advantages of the ILO convention 2006
A global reference on maritime labour issues
-Fourth pillar of quality shipping (with SOLAS, STCW, MARPOL)
-A comprehensive set of basic maritime labour principles and rights
-Simplification of international requirements
-A strong enforcement regime, backed by a certification system
-Verifiable compliance with basic minimum employment and social requirements
-Application to all ships including those of non-ratifying members
-Improved working and living conditions for Seafarers
-A more secure and responsible maritime workforce
-A more socially responsible shipping industry
-Improved social dialogue at all levels
-Seafarers better informed of their rights and remedies
-Improved supervision at all levels: the ship, the company, the Flag State, the port state, and the ILO
-Global and uniform compliance & verification
-Improved possibilities of keeping labour conditions up to date
-Permanent review of maritime labour situation
-Positive impact on safety at sea
-Positive impact on the protection of the environment.
For Governments
-Simplification of reporting obligations (one convention rather than many)
-Wide powers of enforcement on all ships
-Improved quality of shipping services
-Improved protection of the environment
-Additional flexibility with firmness of rights and flexible as how to implement, making the convention easier to ratify and implement
-Certification system mandatory only for ships over 500 GT
-Protection against unfair competition from substandard ships through “No more favourable treatment” for ships of non-ratifying countries
-Implementation of mandatory requirements through measures those are substantially equivalent, except for Part V
-Advantages given to ships of ratifying countries.
For Shipowners
- A more level playing field to help ensure fair competition and to marginalize substandard operations
- Will benefit from a system of certification, including a certification system possible for ships less than 500 GT, if the ship-owner so requests
- A more socially responsible shipping industry
- A better protected and more efficient workforce
- Help ensure that ships are operated safely and securely with few problems and few delays in ports
- New Convention contains minimum standards that are well within the current industry practice and should easily be met by most ship-owners
For Seafarers
- A comprehensive set of basic maritime labour principles and rights as well as ILO fundamental rights.
- Convention spells out in one place and clear language seafarers’ basic employment rights
- Seafarers better informed of their rights and of remedies available
- Improved enforcement of minimum working and living conditions
- Right to make complaints both on board and ashore
- Clear identification of who is the shipowner with overall responsibility, for the purpose of this Convention.