European shipowners and European transport workers jointly welcome the adoption of a Council Directive aiming to improve seafarers’ working conditions, after an agreement between ECSA and the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF).
Namely, the new rules oblige shipowners to provide financial security to protect seafarers from abandonment in an overseas port.
Additionally, the new agreement ensures the payment of contractual compensation in the event of the death or long-term disability of a seafarer resulting from an occupational injury, illness or hazard.
The changes are based on the 2014 amendments to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC). The social partners’ agreement updates their previous agreement, contained in the annex to Directive 2009/13/EC.
Tim Springett, ECSA spokesperson to the Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee for Maritime Transport (SSDC), noted: “Our original agreement, which became EU law in 2009, provided the much needed impetus to the worldwide acceptance of the MLC and helped it to enter into force globally. In addition to guaranteeing decent work for seafarers irrespective of their nationality of the flag of their ship, the MLC helps good shipowners by giving flag and port states effective tools to enforce the MLC standards on those ships that fail to conform.”
From its part, ETF is pleased with this development, as it will bring European rules up-to-date with international best practice and it will ensure the continuous improvement of seafarers’ living and working conditions.
