Call to comply with maritime rules

Experts at a discussion asked owners of ocean going ships to start procedures to comply with the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006 as it will come into effect on August 20.
The seminar titled “The clock's ticking” was jointly organised by Germanscher Lloyd Bangladesh Ltd and the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology Bangladesh in Chittagong on Wednesday.
Commodore Moqsumul Quader, managing director of Bangladesh Shipping Corporation, was the chief guest at the seminar chaired by AKM Masud Karim, managing director of Germanscher Lloyd.
Quader emphasised obtaining MLC 2006 certification as the convention regulates the working and living conditions of the seafarers and helps to create fair competition grounds for the ship owners.
Ship owners need to abide by the convention even though they are facing hardships in doing business at present, said Azam J Chowdhury, chairman of East Coast Group and president of Bangladesh Ocean Going Ship Owners Association.
Also a special guest at the event, Chowdhury urged the country's private shipping companies to begin procedures to obtain the certificate as the deadline is fast approaching.
Sanjeev Panicker, a marine engineer of Germanscher Lloyd, who was the keynote speaker, discussed different aspects of MLC 2006 at the seminar attended by owners and officials of different shipping companies and marine engineers.