People must remain at the heart of shipping as the sector continues to pursue growth, safety and competitiveness, Deputy Minister of Shipping Marina Hadjimanolis said in Athens at an event marking 20 years since the adoption of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC).
Addressing a symposium marking the 20th anniversary of the MLC on behalf of Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides, Hadjimanolis on 18 September said the international community adopted the Maritime Labour Convention in Geneva on 23 February, 2006.
She said the MLC had become the fourth pillar of the international maritime regulatory framework, alongside the SOLAS, MARPOL and STCW conventions, setting minimum international standards for seafarers’ working and living conditions, medical care, social protection, repatriation and other key aspects of their welfare.
“Cyprus has been part of this effort from the very beginning,” Hadjimanolis said, noting that the country had participated actively and constructively in years of tripartite negotiations that led to the adoption of the Convention.
Cyprus had consistently supported the creation of a global, unified and effective framework to protect seafarers’ rights, she added.
Hadjimanolis said that, as one of the world’s largest ship registries and a major international ship management centre, Cyprus had fully incorporated the provisions of the MLC into its national legislation and ensured their implementation both as a flag state and a port state.
She added that Cyprus had mechanisms in place for the effective handling of complaints, while social dialogue with all stakeholders remained a key element of the country’s shipping policy.
While the shipping industry was changing, one thing remained constant, Hadjimanolis said: people remained at the heart of shipping.
She also highlighted the close cooperation between Cyprus and Greece in the maritime sector, saying Cyprus’ Deputy Ministry of Shipping and Greece’s Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy worked closely together and coordinated their positions and efforts at both European and international level.
Their common objective, she said, was to strengthen the competitiveness of European shipping while, “above all”, protecting and empowering seafarers.
Hadjimanolis thanked Greek Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy Minister Vassilis Kikilias for what she described as their “excellent and substantive cooperation”, as well as for the ongoing communication and coordination between the two countries.
She said the same relationship of trust also underpinned cooperation with seafarers’ unions.
(Source: CNA)
