Page 243 - Demo

world fleet. When comparing the %u201cbefore and after%u201d regarding this matter within a span of just 20 years, the progress made is quite remarkable. During the early days of the MLC, we talked about the %u201cSeafarers%u2019 Bill of Rights%u201d in order to emphasise its significance in the public%u2019s consciousness. Over time, the language used has slightly shifted; instead of focusing solely on seafarers%u2019 rights, we now more commonly speak of minimum standards.On reflection, we have weathered the COVID-19 crisis, and are currently in the midst of a major conflict in the Middle East, which could escalate or de-escalate within weeks %u2014 its trajectory remains uncertain. Such developments represent significant tests for the standards provided to seafarers by the Convention. In this context, it may be appropriate to start talking again about the MLC in those heady terms that were used back in 2006: a Seafarer's Bill of Rights, with fundamental social and employment rights, including the right to a healthy and safe workplace.It feels as though everybody is talking about shipping again, but for all the wrong reasons. It is at moments like these that one surprisingly finds out how little people truly realise about the sector%u2019s significance. Approximately 90% of all global trade is carried out by ships, and in the UK, where I%u2019m from, that figure rises to 95%. The ignorance of the average person, politician, or regulator, who thinks goods arrive in supermarkets almost by accident, is striking. Given the critical role of shipping in the global economy %u2014 never more so than in these moments of global conflict %u2014 it is difficult to understand how this lack of recognition for the importance of seafarers and shipping persists.Reflecting on the past 20 years, remarkable progress has been made: moving from conventions that addressed seafarers' rights and welfare but were not widely ratified, to a situation where 97% of the world fleet is covered by minimum standards. The sheer fact that this Convention can be amended and has already been amended five times across five sessions of the Special Tripartite Committee (STC), which is responsible for keeping the Convention under review, is truly significant in the context of seafarers%u2019 social and employment rights.Within the shipping industry, the MLC is the only convention addressing seafarers%u2019 living and working conditions that can be amended. It is enforceable and verifiable, with ships being subject to detention if standards are not met. While the past two decades have established a baseline of minimum standards and decent work, it is important to recognise that, within the ILO framework, %u201cdecent work%u201d extends beyond minimum requirements %u2014 it is about decent standards and fairness. Shipowners may use the term %u201csustainable%u201d, and it can certainly be debated what that really means in practice; nevertheless, it is generally agreed that continuous improvement is essential on the journey from minimum standards to decent work for all seafarers, in order to properly recognise their contribution to the world and the global economy. After all, our prosperity depends on seafarers and the shipping industry as a whole. For that reason, it is difficult not to be in awe of the significance of the MLC when reflecting on its journey over the past 20 years.Credit: EPA/RONALD WITTEK