Belize City, 8th July 2014
The Government of Belize deposited with the International Labour Office the instrument of ratification of the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC, 2006).
Belize is the 62nd ILO member State and the eighth Member State of the Ocean Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control in the Caribbean Region to have ratified this Convention. Belize’s merchant fleet consists of vessels of over 1.8 million gross tons in total. This ratification brings to 50 the total number of ILO Conventions ratified by Belize.
On receiving the instrument of ratification, Ms Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, Director of the International Labour Standards Department said: “The ratification by Belize of the MLC, 2006 represents an important commitment by the country to ensure that seafarers working and living on board ships flying its flag enjoy the rights set out in the Convention.
The Government of Belize will also now be able to continue to move forward and transpose the provisions of the Convention in its national law in order to ensure that ships flying its flag are duly inspected and certified to the international standards set in the Convention.
As a member of CARICOM, Belize joins the other countries in the region in supporting and promoting decent work for seafarers and the level playing field for shipowners.”
The MLC, 2006 entered into force on 20 August 2013 for the first 30 member States whose ratifications were registered by 20 August 2012. The Convention will enter into force for Belize on 8 July 2015, that is, one year after its ratification.
Source: ILO
Hubel Marine B.V. 