Focus on ensuring social security for crew members

On May 12, at the headquarters of the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA), Deputy Minister Nguyen Ba Hoan had a meeting with Mr. Kitack Lim - Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization (IOM).

At the meeting, Deputy Minister Nguyen Ba Hoan assessed that the IMO Secretary General's visit to Vietnam this time is very important, to attend the 44th ASEAN Maritime Transport Working Group Conference hosted by Vietnam in Da Nang .

Activities to further strengthen the good relationship between the two sides in the nearly 40 years since Vietnam joined IMO (1984-2023).

Leaders of the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs work with the International Maritime Organization (IOM).

On this occasion, Deputy Minister Nguyen Ba Hoan thanked IMO for its active support and assistance under the direction of Mr. Kitack Lim in recent times to Vietnam, especially in Vietnam's maritime and search and rescue activities.

The Deputy Minister informed that Vietnam is currently focusing on implementing three strategic breakthroughs, including institutional improvement, human resource development and infrastructure construction. In particular, the focus is on training high-quality human resources in the maritime sector and building maritime transport infrastructure.

"Vietnam has responded to the IMO's call to consider seafarers as official workers. Specifically, Vietnam has stipulated that workers in the maritime sector are workers who are subject to a number of appropriate regimes (on training, fostering, improving qualifications and professional skills; labor contracts; wages, bonuses; working hours, rest hours; occupational safety and hygiene) as stipulated in Article 166 of the 2019 Labor Code," Deputy Minister Nguyen Ba Hoan informed.

The leader of the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs said that Vietnam is currently sending crew members to work in a number of countries such as: Korea, Taiwan (China), Japan, Singapore..., of which, there are about 2,700 crew members working on fishing boats and transport ships in Korea, 3,000 crew members working in Taiwan, 4,554 crew members working in Japan...

Deputy Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Ba Hoan.

"Vietnam always focuses on ensuring social security for seafarers. In 2021, Vietnam and Korea signed a bilateral agreement on social insurance (SI).

Currently, Vietnam is continuing to promote the signing of bilateral agreements on social insurance with Japan, Germany and several other countries where many Vietnamese people work," Deputy Minister Nguyen Ba Hoan shared.

At the reception, IMO Secretary General Kitack Lim highly appreciated the achievements that the Vietnamese Government and the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs have achieved in economic development and ensuring social security, including the strong development of the maritime industry.

Mr. Kitack Lim shared that the maritime industry is currently facing many challenges, including the risk of human resource shortage due to the pressure and hardship of the maritime industry.

In addition, in order to fulfill the commitment on carbon emissions at the COP26 Conference, shipping vessels are gradually switching to using other fuels, requiring high-quality human resources.

"After visiting Vietnam Maritime University, I found that the human resources in this industry are abundant. In recent years, the number of Vietnamese sailors has continuously increased from 30,000 to 50,000 people.

Along with that, the number of Vietnamese fishermen participating in international fishing fleets is also very impressive. This is an opportunity for Vietnam to contribute more strongly to international maritime activities in general and the International Maritime Organization in particular," the IMO Secretary General said.

Mr. Kitack Lim shared that the maritime industry is currently facing many challenges.

Mr. Kitack Lim proposed that Vietnam soon ratify the STCW78 Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers and the 2012 Cape Town Agreement on Maritime Safety in General and Fishing Vessel Safety.

Regarding the contents mentioned by Mr. Kitack Lim, Deputy Minister Nguyen Ba Hoan emphasized that these are also issues that the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs is very concerned about. He affirmed that training human resources in general, and high-quality labor in the maritime industry in particular, is one of the strategic breakthroughs that Vietnam is aiming for.

In addition, the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs will coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to advise the Government to soon ratify the two Conventions mentioned by the IMO Secretary General.

The Deputy Minister suggested that IOM continue to help and support ASEAN in general and pay attention to Vietnam in particular so that Vietnam can enhance its role and develop its maritime economy, especially its crew.

Source link: https://dantri.com.vn/lao-dong-viec-lam/chu-trong-bao-dam-an-sinh-xa-hoi-cho-thuyen-vien-20230512181919412.htm