Regulations and Measurement of Human Capital Resources: The Impact of MLC in the Seafarers Control and Management Systems

Abstract

This paper aims to verify the role of the managerial control systems in the measurement of the factors that may have a negative impact on the job performance of the human resources working on board ships. More specifically, we investigate the main causes, such as social isolation, boredom, fatigue, lack of social recognition, conflicts among the member of the crews and so on, affecting the efficiency and effectiveness of the seafarers’ job on board and consequently the performance of the ships. In the last years the international regulation about the work on board ships is becoming over more relevant in order to ensure the best security and welfare conditions of the workers and, more in general, of the maritime crews. In addition to the international conventions SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) and STCW (Standards of Training, Certification and Watch keeping for Seafarers), on 2006 it has been introduced the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) no. 186, adopted in Geneva on 23th Feb by the 940 session, it introduced into force on Aug 20th 2013. This Convention establishes several rules in order to ensure the acceptability between governments, ship owners and seafarers about the principles of safe and healthy work fixed in the Titles. This study, within a wider research project, aims to analyze, through a qualitative approach, on one side, the impact of the MLC on the Italian legislative context, and, on the other side, the fatigue factor in the managerial control and human resources literature. Therefore, this study focuses on the Title “health protection, medical care, welfare and social security” indicated by MLC, and thanks to the support of some shipping companies, it supplies a set of key performance indicators to measure the fatigue causes. Finally, this paper provides interesting insights on the managerial control system adoptable by the shipping companies in the recognition of the MLC.