The Marine and Port Authority of Singapore has advised amendments to the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 which applies to all ships registered with the Singapore Registry of Ships (SRS) ordinarily engaged in commercial activities (MLC Ships). In addition, ships of 500 gross tonnage and above are required to carry and maintain a Maritime Labour Certificate and a Declaration of Maritime Labour Compliance (DMLC).
This information pertains to the the MLC certification process and issuance of the updated DMLC Part I, following on from the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) amendments of 2014 to the MLC, amendments which will come into force on 18 January 2017 and apply to all MLC ships.
MLC Certification
The DMLC consists of Parts I and II, both of which will need to be revised to include the ILO’s amendments of 2014 to the MLC. DMLC Part I is prepared and issued by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and contains the national requirements on the MLC. DMLC Part II must be prepared by the shipowner and must contain measures to ensure compliance with DMLC Part I.
A Maritime Labour Certificate must be issued to a MLC ship after verification, via inspection, that the MLC ship (including its DMLC Part II) is in compliance with national requirements (as detailed in the DMLC Part I) and applicable MLC requirements. MPA has authorised our Recognised Organisations (ROs) to conduct the inspections and to issue the Maritime Labour Certificate, on behalf of MPA.
Shipowners must carry and display a valid Maritime Labour Certificate nd a valid DMLC in a conspicuous place on board their MLC ships where it is available to seafarers.
The Maritime Labour Certificate and DMLC are inspectable items for port State control officers.
Updated Declaration of Maritime Labour Compliance Part I
Following from the ILO’s amendments of 2014 to the MLC, an updated mandatory ship-specific DMLC Part I has been prepared by MPA to replace existing MLC ships’ DMLC Part I. The updates are:
• addition of Item 15 relating to financial security for repatriation (Regulation 2.5)
• addition of Item 16 relating to financial security relating to shipowners’ liability (Regulation 4.2)
The other updates that are not related to the ILO’s amendments of 2014 to the MLC are:
• addition of paragraph 7 in Item 4 relating to shore leave
• editorial changes to the page numbers
Shipowners are strongly encouraged to begin preparing or updating their DMLC Part II based on the sample copy of the updated DMLC Part I.
Existing MLC ships in the SRS
For existing MLC ships carrying their existing DMLC Part I, MPA will issue the updated DMLC Part I to shipowners no later than the due date of the MLC ships’ first renewal inspection after 18 January 2017.
Priority will be given to the MLC ships whose first MLC renewal inspections are closest to 18 January 2017. Shipowners must update their DMLC Part II to indicate their compliance with the updated DMLC Part I. This is to be done no later than the due da
te of the MLC ship’s first MLC
renewal inspection after 18 January 2017. The shipo
wner’s appointed manager in
Singapore will be notified accordingly for the coll
ection of the updated DMLC Part I.
The entry into force of the ILO’s amendments of 2014 to the MLC on 18 January 2017 will not affect the continued validity of MLC ships’ existing Maritime Labour Certificates and DMLCs until the due date of
the MLC ship’s first MLC renewal inspection after 18 January 2017. This is in line with the ILO’s Resolution on the transitional measures relating to the entry into force of the amendments of 2014 to the MLC.
As part of the implementation of the ILO’s amendments of 2014 to the MLC, there will be no fees payable for the replacement of the existing DMLC Part I with the updated DMLC Part I. The shipowner’s appointed manager in Singapore will be notified accordingly for the collection of the updated DMLC Part I.
MLC ships registering with the SRS on or after 18 January 2017
For MLC ships registering with the SRS on or after 18 January 2017, MPA will issue the updated DMLC Part I to shipowners. Shipowners must prepare their DMLC Part II to indicate their compliance with the updated DMLC Part I. A fee of $70 will be charged for the issuance of the updated DMLC Part I. The shipowner’s appointed manager in Singapore will be notified accordingly for the collection of the updated
DMLC Part I.
In the event that the Maritime Labour Certificate and DMLC are lost,
destroyed or so defaced that the particulars are no longer legible, the shipowner must report the loss, destruction or defacement to MPA within 14 days. A fee of $74.90 (inclusive of GST) will be charged for the replacement of the updated DMLC Part I in the event the updated DMLC Part I is lost or is required to be re-issued due to changes to the MLC ship’s details.
For information about operations in Singapore contact GAC Singapore at [email protected]
