CAIRNS, Australia (ILO News) - Australia will soon ratify the International Labour Organization’s Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC, 2006), following the signing of an accord in Cairns, on Thursday 5 May, between the Australian Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Hon. Anthony Albanese, and the representatives of the ILO and of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

The accord was signed in front of delegates from across the Asia-Pacific region, during the “Regional Dialogue on the Maritime Labour Convention”, hosted by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) and aimed to strengthen regional cooperation on the adoption, implementation, consistent application and enforcement of the MLC, 2006.

“Australia is already substantially compliant and once it has been considered by the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties, I will be introducing the Navigation Amendment Bill to give effect to the Maritime Labour Convention during the winter sitting” said Minister Albanese. As for the accord of Cairns, it is intended to encourage all countries in the region to work together towards the ratification of the Convention.

The Asia-Pacific region supplies over 60 per cent of the 1.2 million world’s seafarers and is the flag State for over 40 per cent of the world’s merchant shipping fleet. In the regional economic development, trade and maritime transport are inextricably linked.

In her keynote speech, Ms Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, Director of the ILO International Labour Standards Department, noted that the Asia-Pacific region is a key, perhaps even essential, region for achieving the goals of the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006. “The ILO has been very aware of the strategic importance of this region and has been working closely with countries through its regional and sub regional offices to promote and support implementation and ratification efforts”.

Asia-Pacific has a longstanding history of regional cooperation, particularly in ocean related matters. The region also reflects all faces of the maritime interest including important flag States, global seafarer or labour-supplying States and States with an interest in further economic development and as island or coastal States, this region also has important port States.

The formula for entry into force of Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 is 12 months after the registered ratifications of at least 30 Members with a total share of the world gross tonnage of ships of at least 33per cent. As of today, the Convention has been ratified by twelve countries, which brings the coverage of ships and seafarers on those ships to approximately 48 per cent of the world fleet based on gross tonnage.

The ratification by a number countries, including Antigua, Latvia and Poland appear imminent. Others, including India, have announced their intention to ratify within the next six months. During the Asian-regional Dialogue, the indications suggest that at least nine countries in the region could be in a position to ratify the MLC, 2006 before the end of 2011.

However, ratification is most of the time the end of a long process that calls for careful consideration, broad consultations, consensus building and knowledge sharing.

On this regard, Ms Doumbia commented: “I remain optimistic that with the support of events such as this Asia-Pacific Regional Dialogue convened by the Government of Australia and with the support of the seafarers and shipowners and other industry actors the MLC, 2006 will have all 30 countries on board in 2011 and be ready to set sail in 2012”.