The First Regional Meeting of Asia’s leading seafaring nations took place in Manila in November, and highlighted the plight many seafarers face in the event of a maritime accident. Senior figures from seafaring nations around the region pledged to lead the drive towards proper and effective implementation of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and International Labor Organization (ILO) agreed Guidelines on the Fair Treatment of Seafarers.
Issuing the first ever Manila Statement on the Fair Treatment of Seafarers, senior government representatives from more than 10 countries in the region said the time was right for action to be taken to protect their seafarers.