BV facilitates Maritime Labour Convention implementation

“Shipowners and managers need to be able to demonstrate they are working with properly run seafarer recruitment and manning offices,” explains Claude Maillot, director, ships in service, BV. “When the Maritime Labour Convention comes into force it will be a requirement for organisations recruiting and placing seafarers to conform to the standards set down. We have had a Code for Approved Seafarer Manning Offices since 1998, and building on that experience and the requirements of the MLC 2006 we have now launched a new service for the assessment of Seafarer Recruitment and Placement Systems (Seafarer Manning Offices). It will enable the best manning agencies to demonstrate their readiness for the MLC implementation, and will help owners and managers to ensure they get the right crews.”

The Standard for Quality Management System of Seafarer Manning Offices is available in BV guidance note N° 6001. This guidance note provides that an Attestation of Compliance may be issued to the Seafarer Manning Office after satisfactory assessment of the quality system and confirmation that the requirements of the BV standard have been met. Copies of the standard are downloadable from www.veristar.com.

BV is working with owners and organisations to ensure that the MLC can be implemented as smoothly as possible. It has already issued its first Statement of Compliance under the MLC to Danish shipowner Herning Shipping a.s. This enables Herning Shipping to be at the forefront of preparation for certification when the convention comes into force. Issuance of a Statement of Compliance comes after a thorough review and inspection, in line with the requirements of the convention.