New Zealand's First Passenger Ferry To Be Certified Under MLC

Cook Strait passenger ferry the Straitsman is the first New Zealand ship to be certified under the international Maritime Labour Convention (MLC).

Maritime New Zealand congratulated Strait Shipping earlier this week for being the first commercial operator of vessels of 200 gross tonnage or more to comply with MLC, which came into force in New Zealand on March 9 this year. The certificate was presented by Bureau Veritas, the first classification society to issue such a certificate under delegation from Maritime NZ.

Image Credits: bluebridge.co.nz

The International Labour Organization convention aims to protect international and domestic seafarers and improve their safety and wellbeing onboard foreign-flagged and New Zealand vessels.

“We’re very pleased to see the first New Zealand ship certified under this convention,” says Keith Manch, Director of Maritime NZ. “Today is the culmination of a significant amount of work for Maritime NZ and the commercial maritime sector – in working through changes to the Maritime Rules to reflect the convention and liaising with the commercial sector about what is required to comply.”

Reference: maritimenz.govt.nz

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