Norway has ratified the Maritime Labour Convention, adopted by the ILO (International Labour Organization) in 2006. The convention strengthens working and living conditions of seafarers on board. Norway is the first European state to ratify the convention, and the fifth country in total. Together the five flags represent 43 per cent of the World’s shipping tonnage. The convention comes into force when a minimum of 33 per cent of world’s gross tonnage as well as 30 states have ratified the convention.
In other areas of the shipping industry, Norway is working intensively to improve working and living conditions. Recently the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association, Norwegian authorities and IMO visited shipbreakers in Bangladesh. The Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) last year approved the text of the draft ship recycling convention for adoption at a conference in May 2009. The shipowners’ association tries to get Bangladesh to ratify the convention as soon as possible.
In other areas of the shipping industry, Norway is working intensively to improve working and living conditions. Recently the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association, Norwegian authorities and IMO visited shipbreakers in Bangladesh. The Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) last year approved the text of the draft ship recycling convention for adoption at a conference in May 2009. The shipowners’ association tries to get Bangladesh to ratify the convention as soon as possible.