Ireland, Belize Ratify ILO Maritime Labour Convention

Ireland and Belize have ratified International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Maritime Labour Convention, 2006. This means that from July 8, 2015 and July 21, 2015, Belize and Ireland respectively will be parties to the Convention and will implement the requirements contained therein, both for ships sailing under their flags, and for international ships calling at their ports.

In the meantime, work is progressing on the inspection and certification of Irish ships in preparation for entry into force of the Convention for Ireland.

A Declaration of Maritime Labour Compliance – Part I has been issued to all Irish-flagged vessels of 500 Gross Tonnage or more which operate internationally, and ship owners have completed a Declaration of Maritime Labour Compliance – Part II.

Work is also underway on preparing for port state control inspections for foreign-flagged ships in Ireland when the Convention enters into force in the country.

Belize is the eighth Member State of the Ocean Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control in the Caribbean Region to have ratified this Maritime Labour Convention, 2006.

On July 8, 2014, the Government of Belize deposited with the International Labour Office the instrument of ratification of the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC, 2006).

Belize’s merchant fleet consists of vessels of over 1.8 million gross tons in total. This ratification brings the total number of ILO Conventions ratified by Belize to 50.

On receiving the instrument of ratification, Ms Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, Director of the International Labour Standards Department said: “The ratification by Belize of the MLC, 2006 represents an important commitment by the country to ensure that seafarers working and living on board ships flying its flag enjoy the rights set out in the Convention.

The Government of Belize will also now be able to continue to move forward and transpose the provisions of the Convention in its national law in order to ensure that ships flying its flag are duly inspected and certified to the international standards set in the Convention.

As a member of CARICOM, Belize joins the other countries in the region in supporting and promoting decent work for seafarers and the level playing field for shipowners.”

The MLC, 2006 entered into force on August 20, 2013 for the first 30 member states whose ratifications were registered by August 20, 2012.

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Press Release, July 23, 2014