ClassNK has issued its first approval for seafarer recruitment and placement service providers in line with the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (MLC, 2006) to Manila-based manning company NYK-FIL Ship Management Inc. (NYK-FIL). The approval confirms the company’s conformance with the standards set forth in Regulation 1.4 (Recruitment and Placement) of the MLC 2006 which was adopted by the International Labor Organization (ILO) in 2006 to help ensure the safety and protect the rights of seafarers.

The MLC 2006 requires that shipowners who make use of seafarer recruitment and placement services in countries or territories that have not adopted the MLC to confirm that their service providers are in conformance with convention standards. The text of the MLC however, does not provide clear guidelines for how to confirm such compliance. At the same time, calls for greater professionalism and increased quality are driving the demand for third party certification in the global manning industry.

In order assist both shipowners and recruitment and placement service providers in their efforts to comply with the new convention, ClassNK developed a new certification standard, as well as approval procedures for verifying the MLC compliance of seafarer recruitment and placement providers. The certification and approval of NYK-FIL marks the first time that a company has been certified in accordance with ClassNK’s new standard.  

An official certificate and declaration of compliance was officially presented to NYK-FIL during a special ceremony at the company’s headquarters in Intramuros, Manila on 24 November 2011. ClassNK’ Certification Services Department General Manager Takao Kuboki presented the certification to NYK-FIL President Josephine J. Francisco, who expressed her appreciation and noted that the certification was a “milestone” in the history of the highly awarded manning company.

For ClassNK, the issuing of this first approval for seafarer recruitment providers highlights its continued growth in the field of quality and training certification. ClassNK Executive Vice President Koichi Fujiwara stated: “At ClassNK it is our mission to support the growth and development of the world maritime industry. From ISO 9001, 14001, & OHSAS 18001 to new certification for seafarer training, ECDIS courses, and now seafarer recruitment and placement, we will continue to develop new standards and provide new tools to ensure a safer and stronger future for the industry.”