Two more countries, Togo and Tuvalu, ratified MLC and Sweden is also poised to sign it
Further encouraging steps towards the global adoption of a ‘bill of rights’ for seafarers, have been welcomed by Nautilus International, even though the UK still lags behind.
Two more countries, Togo and Tuvalu, ratified the Maritime Labour Convention recently, and Sweden is also poised to sign, which will bring the total to 26. This means only four more countries need to sign for the convention to come into effect, as the tonnage threshold has already been met, says the Union’s general secretary, Mark Dickinson.
Togo, a narrow strip of land on Africa’s west coast, is the latest to sign up in March. The Polynesian island of Tuvalu in the Pacific Ocean signed in February, and Sweden’s parliament has already approved plans to ratify the International Labour Organisation’s key maritime convention by the end of March 2012.
Mr Dickinson said it was disappointing the UK was ‘still lagging behind primarily because of political prevarication,’ but encouraging news for seafarers that the convention was a step closer to making threshold entry.
The convention will come into force 12 months after the date on which 30 ILO member states with a combined share of the world gross tonnage of 33% have registered their ratifications. Since 25 members have now ratified, and the tonnage threshold has been met, the convention should come into force in 2013.
Source: Nautilus International
