USCG Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circular No.02-13
The US Coast Guard has issued a Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circular (NVIC) No.02-13 providing guidance for Coast Guard marine inspectors, recognized classification societies (RCSs), and US vessel owners/operators on the US laws and regulations or other measures conforming to the provisions of the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (MLC 2006) and providing a voluntary inspection program for those who wish to document compliance with the standards of MLC 2006.
The MLC provides a large measure of flexibility to ratifying countries as to how they will implement its provisions under Part A. The major areas of flexibility in the MLC include-
(1) Unless specified otherwise in the Convention, national implementation may be achieved through national laws or regulations, through collective bargaining agreements, or through an already established industry practice;
(2) Implementation may also be achieved through measures that are considered “substantially equivalent” to the MLC standards, provided the implementing country satisfies itself that the relevant legislation or other implementing measure achieves the general object and purpose of the pertinent provisions in the Convention;
(3) In certain circumstances, the application of details in the Code may be relaxed for some smaller vessels; and
(4) While all vessels covered by the Convention must be inspected for compliance with its requirements, flag-State administrations are not required to certify and provide documentation for vessels less than 500 gross tonnage
For more information, please click at USCG NVIC No.02-13 \http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/nvic/pdf/2013/MLC%20NVIC%2002-13.pdf
