MUSCAT: The Sultanate of Oman will today mark the signing of the instrument of ratification of the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006.
An official ceremony will be held to celebrate the 100th ratification of the convention with representatives of the Sultanate of Oman and in the presence of the Director-General of the International Labour Organization, the secretaries-general of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) at the headquarters of the International Labour Organization.
The Sultanate of Oman is the first Gulf country to ratify this agreement. On March 29, it became the 100th member state of the ILO to have ratified the convention, based on Royal Decree No 62/2021 that approved the accession of the Sultanate of Oman to the Maritime Labour Convention on October 26, 2021. The convention will enter into force for the Sultanate of Oman on March 29, 2023, one year after its ratification.
Nasser bin Salem al Hadhrami, Director of International Cooperation in the Ministry of Labour, said that the Maritime Labour Convention is an international labour agreement issued by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and is widely defined as ‘the rights charter of sailors’ and was approved by representatives of governments, employers and workers at the ILO working conference in February 2006.
This convention is aimed at achieving decent work conditions for sailors and to secure economic interests by ensuring fair competition between high-quality shipowners, where the agreement recognises the minimum international standards for work onboard ships that will enhance the protection of working conditions in all aspects of their work and life onboard ships These conditions include: Minimum age; Employment contracts; Hours of work and rest; Paying wages; Paid annual leave; Repatriation at the expiry of the contract; Medical care on board ships; Use of licensed private placement services; Housing, food, and catering; Health, occupational safety, and accident prevention; Handling seafarers' complaints.
Also, Al Hadhrami said that the strategic geographical location enabled the Sultanate of Oman to be a leader in the world of seas. It has been home to some of the famous navigators or sailors such as Ahmed bin Majid, and Nasser bin Ali al Khadoori, the owner of the manuscript ‘Maadan al Asrar fi Elm al Bahar,’ which was selected in the UNESCO Memory of the World Program as the first Omani document to be included in this World Register of Documentary Heritage.
The Omanis have a huge marine heritage that is a source of pride and joining this convention will undoubtedly make marine work more attractive, which is in line with Oman Vision 2040 indicators.
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