Circular issued by International Group clubs
The Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (MLC) entered into force in August 2013 and continues to gain support from states.
On 12 November 2015 the People's Republic of China became the 68th state to ratify the Convention.
China has a merchant fleet of approximately 3,000 ships amounting to nearly 45,000 gross tons and ratification will extend the benefits of the Convention to over 250,000 seafarers.
It will enter into force in China on 12 November 2016, one year after the date of ratification.
The states that have ratified the Convention include the major flag states and represent over 80 per cent of the world gross tonnage of shipping. Additional information about MLC, including a list of ratifying states, is available from the Insight section of the Skuld website and on the website of the International Labour Organisation (ILO).