Italy is the 52nd ILO Member State to ratify this landmark Convention
Today, the Government of Italy deposited with the International Labour Office the instrument of ratification of theMaritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC, 2006).
Italy is the 52nd ILO Member State, and the 20th member State of the European Union, to ratify this Convention. As many as 1,650 ships representing more than 18 million gross tons are registered under the Italian flag. Italy is among the world’s top 20 countries in container liner trade and also among the top three EU countries in containerized imports and exports.
In depositing the instrument of ratification of the MLC, 2006, the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Emma Bonino, stated: “Keeping in line with its ancient maritime tradition, Italy is happy to contribute to the improvement of working conditions onboard ships, including with regard to social security coverage of seafarers. Italy will continue to offer full support to the ILO objectives and activities aimed at establishing international labour standards in such a sensitive field.”
In receiving the instrument of ratification, Mr Guy Ryder, Director-General of the International Labour Office said: “I am particularly pleased to welcome Italy, a country with important maritime tradition and presence, among the States parties to the MLC, 2006 – a promising new global standard for decent work for seafarers and fair competition for shipowners.The Italian Coast Guard has been taking a leading role, since the adoption of that Convention in 2006, in the development and delivery of training courses relating to maritime labour inspection and port State control, at the Maritime Labour Academy of the ILO’s Training Centre in Turin, and in encouraging initiatives for the welfare of seafarers. With Italy’s ratification, approximately 80 per cent of the world gross tonnage of ships would be bound by the innovatory provisions of the MLC, 2006, whereas at the time the first 30 ratifications were registered in August 2012, the respective coverage was 59 per cent.As Italy now turns from ratification to the effective implementation of the requirements of the MLC, 2006, I am sure that it will continue to set high standards and offer best practices for the maritime industry and that its example will soon be followed by many more countries in the region and around the world.”
Source: ILO
