Within the framework of the completion of the Arab Republic of Egypt accession procedures to the Maritime Labor Agreement MLC 2006, a meeting of the Transport and Communications Committee of the Egyptian Parliament was held on Wednesday, May 10, 2023 to discuss and examine Presidential Decree No. 144 of 2023 regarding the approval of the Maritime Labor Agreement 2006 and the accession of the Arab Republic of Egypt to the agreement. Representatives of the Maritime Transport & Logistics Sector demonstrated the purpose of the Agreement and the positive impact achieved by joining it on Egyptian seafarers, shipping companies and the government, and the obligations resulting from joining it. The questions of the committee members regarding the provisions of the agreement were also answered.
The committee concluded the meeting with the ratification of Presidential Decree No. 144 of 2023 to join the Agreement, provided that each party provided that each party takes the necessary measures in its own right with regard to the implementing this decision. It was also explicated that the Agreement incorporates within it 68 Agreements and recommendations issued by the International Labor Organization. Egypt joined 18 agreements thereof, three (3) of which were consequently cancelled, and the remaining fifteen (15) Agreements are scheduled to cancel accession to by 2030.
Joining the Maritime Labor Convention 2006 will ensure the protection of seafarers rights in The Agreement, which is an expedient opportunity for the maritime transport industry in Egypt to begin overcoming problems it encounters, and facilitates the improvement of working and living conditions of Egyptian maritime labor on board ships to meet the requirements for the continuation of national maritime fleet operations and also to meet the requirements of the international labor market in terms of Egyptian marine labor, which undergoes a shortage in the number of trained marine labor contributing to increasing national income and subsequently supporting the national economy.
