REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - The House of Representatives (DPR) passed by acclamation the government-initiated bill on the ratification of the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 into law at its plenary meeting here on Thursday.
"The passage of the bill into law will better protect the national shipping industry to compete at an international level and contribute to the efforts aimed at turning Indonesia into a strong maritime axis," Manpower Minister M Hanif Dhakiri said while delivering the government's final views on the bill at the Parliament Building here.
The ratification of the convention will enable Indonesian sailors to improve their living standard, obtain protection guarantee and fulfill their basic rights and will allow the Indonesian shipbuilding industry to make progress, he added.
The minister expressed the hope that the ratification of the convention will impart value to Indonesian sailors and enable ship owners and operators to face competition in the global shipping industry.
"Indonesian ships will be able to avoid different treatment due to longer dwelling time to undergo detailed inspection and accordingly, they need not spend a lot of money on berthing, including fines paid for ships' lateness," Hanif said.
Above all, the ratification of the convention will improve the competitive edge for the Indonesian shipping industry at a global level and improve access and coordination in maritime affairs among stakeholders, he said.
In addition, Indonesian sailors will also become more competitive and job opportunities for Indonesian crew members, who will sail in the international waters, will be wider, Hanif explained.
He said the ratification of the convention also reflects the state's responsibility to improve the living standard of nearly 570,000 Indonesian sailors, about 378,000 of whom are working on foreign ships.
"The global community will praise Indonesia for providing optimum protection to its sailors. The sector may open job opportunities to 10 thousand graduates from sailor school," he said
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