The classification society ClassNK announced that it certified the Ho Chi Minh-based Southern Crewmanning Center (SCC), in accordance with the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (MLC 2006). This is the first Seafarer Recruitment and Placement Service (SRPS) certification that ClassNK has issued in Vietnam.

MLC regulations, which will come into force for all vessels operated by owners registered in MLC party states from August 2013, will require providers to establish, implement and maintain a quality system complying with the requirements regarding working conditions for seafarers.

Under Regulation 1.4 of MLC 2006, if shipping companies registered in MLC party states employ seafarers from SRPS in non-party states, they must ensure that the SRPS is fully compliant with MLC Conventions. This requirement has helped spur demand for independent third party certification of SRPS in countries such as Vietnam, who have yet to ratify MLC 2006.

SCC, a subsidiary of Vitranschart JSC, based in Ho Chi Minh, provides more than 1,000 seafarers to not only much of Vietnam’s merchant fleet, but also to vessels owned by Japanese and Taiwanese owners. As one of Vietnam’s leading SRPS, SCC turned to ClassNK to certify that its practices were fully compliant with the new MLC regulations.