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Hong Kong-based Accord Ship management will ensure that its fleet will be MLC 2006 compliant by the end of 2010, following an intensive programme to build awareness with its owners about the new legal standards to safeguard seafarers working conditions.

"Accord Ship Management will ensure that its fleet will be MLC2006 compliant by the end of 2010, following an intensive programme to build awareness with its owners about the new legal standards to safeguard seafarers working conditions.

Hong Kong-based Accord Ship management will ensure that its fleet will be MLC 2006 compliant by the end of 2010, following an intensive programme to build awareness with its owners about the new legal standards to safeguard seafarers working conditions.

"We have embarked on an International Labour Organisation (ILO) gap analysis for our owners to prepare the way for the convention's implementation in 2012", said Sanjay Shesh, Managing Director for Accord.

"There needs to be an holistic approach to ensure that seafarers' accommodation, recreation, catering, health and medical care, welfare and social conditions are MLC compliant. We are also working with a leading classification society to provide MLC training and certification", added Shesh.

Accord is working with owners to utilize dry dock time to modify ships to MLC standards ahead of certification.

"Accord's dry docking programme means that if there is any modification needed to seafarers' accommodation then extending planned dry dock time this year, means that there will not be a need for an additional downtime for vessels closer for the deadline.

"There will also be many other owners dry docking vessels just before the MLC deadline, which means it will be more difficult to book dry docking facilities in 2011", he added.