Richard Schiferli
Results first year Maritime Labour Convention:
113 ships detained for MLC related deficiencies
20 August 2014 marked the first anniversary of the entry into force of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC, 2006). During these first 12 months 113 ships were detained by one of the Paris MoU Authorities for MLC-related deficiencies. This represents 17.4% of the total number of detentions (649) in the Paris MoU during this period.
During the first year 7.4% (3, 447) of the total number of 46, 798 deficiencies recorded was linked to the MLC, while 160 (4.6%) were marked as a ground for detention resulting in 113 detained ships. Detainable deficiencies were most
frequently recorded in the areas “payment of wages” (39, 5%), and “manning levels for the ship” (28.6%). Other areas with high deficiency levels are “health and safety and accident prevention” (43.1%), “food and catering” (15.4%) and “accommodation” (10%).
Only the member States of the Paris MoU which have ratified the MLC on or before
20 August 2012 were entitled to conduct PSC inspections on MLC requirements
from 20 August 2013. As a result the following twelve member States started
enforcing the MLC, 2006 from 20 August 2013: Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus,
Denmark, Latvia, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, the Russian Federation, Spain
and Sweden.
During the first year of implementation, the following member States began to
enforce MLC, 2006: Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Lithuania,
Malta and the United Kingdom, bringing the total to 21.
The MLC addresses a wide range of matters, including the obligations of shipping companies with respect to seafarers’ contractual arrangements, working hours, health and safety, crew accommodation, catering standards, and seafarers’ welfare.
The MLC has been designed to become a global instrument that has become the “fourth pillar” of
the international regulatory regime for quality shipping, complementing the key Conventions of the
International Maritime Organization (IMO) such as the International Convention for the Safety of
Life at Sea, 1974, as amended (SOLAS), the International Convention on Standards of Training,
Certification and Watchkeeping, 1978, as amended (STCW) and the International Convention for
the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 73/78 (MARPOL).
Regional Port State Control was initiated in 1982 when fourteen European countries agreed to co ordinate their port State inspection effort under a voluntary agreement known as the Paris Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control (Paris MOU). Currently 27 countries are member of the Paris MOU. The European Commission, although not a signatory to the Paris MOU, is also a member of the Committee.
The Paris MoU is supported by a central database THETIS hosted and operated by the European
Maritime Safety Agency in Lisbon. Inspection results are available for search and daily updating by
MoU Members. Inspection results can be consulted on the Paris MoU public website and are
published on the Equasis public website.
The Secretariat of the MoU is provided by the Netherlands Ministry of Infrastructure and the
Environment and located in The Hague.
Port State Control is a check on visiting foreign ships to verify their compliance with international
rules on safety, pollution prevention and seafarers living and working conditions. It is a means of
enforcing compliance in cases where the owner and flag State have failed in their responsibility to
implement or ensure compliance. The port State can require defects to be put right, and detain the
ship for this purpose if necessary. It is therefore also a port State’s defence against visiting
substandard shipping.
