Maritime Labor Convention to Commence on August 20

The International Labor Organization (ILO) will mark the coming into force of its historic Maritime Labor Convention, 2006, on August 20, 2013. The ILO Convention, known as “MLC, 2006”, will establish minimum working and living standards for seafarers and be an essential step toward ensuring fair competition and a level-playing field for quality shipowners flying the flags of ratifying countries.

To mark the day, the ILO will organize a panel with high-level representatives of seafarers, shipowners and port authorities from Singapore's maritime sector, and Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, Director of the ILO International Labour Standards Department, who is the key ILO expert on the Maritime Labor Convention, 2006 (MLC 2006).

The panel discussion will be webcast live at www.ilo.org/mlc starting at 0700 GMT on Tuesday, August 20