Statssekretær Karin Yrvin

ILO. The 94th (Maritime) Session of the International Labour Conference

Tale på ILOs maritime sesjon, Geneve 20. februar 2006

Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, honourable delegates and representatives, your excellences, Mr. Somavia.

Let me thank you, Mr. Somavia, for the invitation to speak at this Labour Conference. It is an honour to address you all.

I would like to congratulate you on the important work that has been carried out since the “Geneva Accord” was adopted. The work done by the High Level Working Group and also at the Preparatory Maritime Conference in 2004 is definitely supported by the Norwegian government.

World trade depends on good transportation, and shipping will continue to be a key factor in the future. Today we see a clear public demand for quality shipping. To satisfy this, ships must be navigated and operated in a safe and efficient manner. This is only possible if we use qualified seafarers who are given decent living and working conditions.

We aim to do our part so that the industry and we - the authorities - can meet the challenges together. A good partnership between the authorities and the industry is essential in order for us to meet the challenges. This partnership will only work if all involved contribute.

We have been ambitious in laying the basis for this future maritime industry. Norway wishes to play an active and positive role in setting international standards. We intend to act as quickly as we can. We expect the same from all of you here today.

International regulation of trade and industry is necessary as well as rules for working and living standards. Decent working and living standards and the prevention of work related accidents and illnesses must be our aim.

The fight against poverty, for sustainable development, democracy, and human rights are all-important. My government will contribute in meeting those challenges.

Norway has 3 equally important goals for the new Consolidated Maritime Labour Convention:

1: We must not allow the industry to compete by using poor working and living conditions to lower prices. Seafarers should not be the ones who pay by risking their lives, risking injuries, or illness. Substandard shipping is not acceptable.

2: We need to develop a “level playing field”. Most ship owners and flag states take their responsibilities seriously. They should not be disadvantaged or pushed out of this industry by those who do not take their duties seriously.

3: We would like to see the convention as the 4th pillar in the international shipping industry, together with the SOLAS-Convention for ship safety, the MARPOL-Convention for the marine environment and the STCW-Convention for training and certification.

It is with high hopes for the continuing work that I deem that the proposed text of the Convention gives us every opportunity to fulfil these objectives.

Today, ships transport about 90 per cent of all internationally traded goods. Even though shipping is the safest and most efficient mode of transportation, there is still room for improvement.

Norway is a maritime nation with a long and proud history. Shipping is important for life along our long coast. In addition Norwegian shippers have become important for transport between other countries.

Our ship owners control one of the largest fleets in the world. They also control the second largest offshore fleet in the world.

Within Norway, shipping companies make up the core of a wide maritime cluster. Shipping is also our second largest export industry.

It is our government’s aim to help secure jobs as well as growth in the maritime industry. This can only be achieved through sound international regulation.

Today, large numbers of workers in the world, including seafarers, suffer injustice, hardship and privation. The failure of any nation to adopt humane labour conditions is a burden for all of us. It is also a barrier for other nations who wish to improve conditions in their own countries.

Work to consolidate and update maritime labour conventions is as important today as it was when it started, 86 years ago.

I am impressed by the cooperation we have seen between our three basic groups in the ILO. Our work should serve as a model for others.

It also underlines the role decent working and living conditions play as a major, if not the major, factor for safety at sea.

Globalisation of our economies makes developing international labour standards even more important. Worldwide adoption and implementation needs to be our goal. Any new standards should also be in line with our common aim:

To provide the chance for women and men to gain decent and gainful work in conditions marked by freedom, equity, security, and human dignity.

A report leading up to this Conference gives some cause for concern. I am referring to the report “The impact on seafarers’ living and working conditions of changes in the structure of the shipping industry”.

The report states:

“The c onnection between flag States and the seafarers on its ships has been weakened.”

Also:

“Labour conditions has become a major point of competitive advantage for some ship operators.”

These factors lie behind our belief in the need for changes in the industry.

Changes are necessary to break the downward spiral of low freight rates, to stop poor conditions and standards, to break weak national regulatory mechanisms, and to turn the general reluctance to enforce international labour standards.

The important work already done at this conference is not the end, but the start of a “New Deal”. We need to join our efforts to regulate, implement and enforce international regulation of seafarers’ working and living conditions.

Norway supports the introduction of certificates of maritime labour conditions.

We also support the need for a declaration of maritime labour compliance.

We are prepared to take on the work needed to implement and enforce those obligations.

We also believe there is a need for a stronger and more coordinated system of Port State Control. The changing nature of international shipping makes this ever more important. Today’s focus on safety, preventing pollution, decent working and living conditions and human rights issues all need to be addressed. Guidelines on Port State Control should be developed through the memoranda on port state control.

We further believe that:

• adopting and following-up the proposed Convention should make the maritime industry more attractive to seafarers, and
• it is important for both member states and the ILO to keep focused on securing rapid ratification, implementation, and enforcement of the Convention.

This should send a strong and very important message to the world.

The same could be said for Convention No. 185 on Seafarers’ Identity Documents.

To ensure that new regulations are followed, there is a need to recruit and train maritime labour inspectors. We also believe there is a need for supervising “recognized organizations” that might be delegated work under the Convention.

Even though we have been concerned about the time taken to ratify and implement important ILO conventions, we are optimistic in this case. This is because there has been a high level of cooperation leading up to the development of this instrument, wide agreement on the need for the Convention, and we have introduced a ”no more favourable treatment” clause. From the Norwegian side we urge Member States

• to be prepared to promote the application of the Convention,
• to assist Member States with technical cooperation, and
• to establish the follow-up called for by the Convention.

To all intents and purposes Norwegian regulations comply with the Convention. Some changes need to be made - and will be made.

The main task ahead is enforcing and certifying working and living conditions.

Even though classification societies can take on some of this work, the main responsibility lies with ship owners and the authorities. Developing information material and training for those who will enforce the Convention is important. There is much to be gained by doing this through cooperation between governments. The results of this work should also be made available to others. After this Conference is finished, priority should be given to the work of promoting the Convention and hastening its entry into force. All parties including seafarers’, ship owners’, and non-governmental organizations in addition to governments should cooperate in this important task. Mr. Somavia, we look forward to hearing your views on how we can effectively contribute to the important work ahead of us.

To conclude, I once again urge this Conference to adopt the proposed text of the convention.

I likewise urge member states to effectively and swiftly complete the work needed to ratify the Convention.

Thank you for your attention!