The special tripartite committee on the MLC met at the ILO in February to look at amendments to the MLC. The committee meets every 2 years to review the MLC. Amendments agreed at the meeting included an amendment highlighting the importance of health and safety onboard and proposing the inclusion of the new ITF/ICS guidelines on eliminating bullying and harassment at sea.
The meeting also agreed to establish a working group to draft proposals for a future amendment to the MLC to protect seafarers' wages if they are held captive as a result of piracy or armed robbery. The new amendments to the convention will go to the ILO International Labour Conference and are expected to enter into force in late 2018. The amendments adopted in 2014 on the financial security of crew claims and cases of abandonment are due to come into force in January 2017. The MLC has now been ratified by 70 countries that represent 80% of the world's shipping.
The meeting on the MLC was followed by a meeting on the Seafarers ID convention 185 that saw a resolution unanimously supported on the facilitation of access to shore leave and the transit of seafarers joining their ships.
Further information on the MLC meetings can be found at http://www.ilo.org/global/standards/maritime-labour-convention/lang--en/index.htm