The amendments, still to be approved at a meeting of the International Labour Conference in June, would ensure that MLC members keep schemes in place to reimburse seafarers and families in the event of abandonment, personal injury, illness or death.
“Currently there does not appear to be any provision for compulsory financial security that can be directly accessed by seafarers in the event of their abandonment,” said SRI executive director Deirdre Fitzpatrick. “The amendments to the MLC now provide for such security.”
"If the amendments are enacted into national law, including effective operation of a financial security system, then seafarers should be protected from the worst consequences of abandonment.
“We therefore welcome these amendments, but it is too early to celebrate the notion that seafarers are now immediately and comprehensively protected from abandonment.”
ITF secretary general Stephen Cotton highlighted the increase in seafarer abandonment cases in September last year.
Copyright © 2024. All rights reserved. Seatrade, a trading name of Informa Markets (UK) Limited. Add Seatrade Maritime News to your Google News feed.
