During IMO Legal Committee, 110th session, that took place 21-26 March, 2023, the IMO Committee discussed proposals for guidelines relating to fair treatment of seafarers detained on suspicion of committing maritime crimes, highlighting the need to establish a database to record such incidents.
IMO explains that such guidelines would aim to ensure fair treatment of seafarers in other circumstances where seafarers might be detained. A working group developed initial draft text for the proposed guidelines. To remind, existing Guidelines on fair treatment of seafarers in the event of a maritime accident were adopted in 2006.
The Committee established a correspondence group to further develop the draft text. The Committee agreed to establish a working group at the commencement of LEG 111 to finalize the draft guidelines as a base document for refinement at the joint ILO-IMO Tripartite Working Group to identify and address seafarers’ issues and the human element (JTWG), which will meet in late 2024.
The Committee further agreed to continue consideration on the establishment of a database to record incidents where seafarers are detained; and further consider the need of designated contact points for coordination of cases of detention of seafarers, taking into account the UN Convention on Consular Relations, 1963.