The New seafarers ID: Questions and Answers - Aug 2004
(News Report from International Labor Org www.ilo.org)
On the high seas and in the world's ports 1.2 million maritime
workers handle 90 per cent of the world's trade. Before the end of
this year some of them could bring along with their personal luggage
a
new Seafarers Identity Document (SID). The SID uses a biometric
verification system created in the framework of a new Convention of
the
International Labour Organization (ILO). The Convention has now received
enough ratifications to come into force.
The Seafarers' Identity Documents Convention, 2003 (No. 185) 1/ was
adopted by governments, workers and employers from the ILO's member
States as an instrument to strengthen security measures in the maritime
transport sector in the wake of the 2001 attacks on the United States.
At the same time, it is also designed to ensure the rights and freedoms
of maritime workers and to facilitate mobility in the exercise of
their
profession - for example when they board their ships to work, take
shore
leave or return home.
"Ensuring the security of seafarers and the ships they work
on is
crucial to the continued smooth flow of world trade," said Cleopatra
Doumbia-Henry, Director of the ILO programme responsible for the
measure.
The ILO has so far registered ratifications from France, Jordan and
Nigeria. This is enough for the new Convention to come into force
on
February 9, 2005 2/. But the SIDs can be issued by ratifying countries
as soon as the technology has been tested, before the end of this
year.
Q: What is an SID, how does it work and how
will it look?
A: A Seafarers' Identity Document is a stand-alone identity document,
confirming that the holder is a seafarer. It is not a travel document.
It may look like a small plastic national identity card or have the
dimensions of a national passport, the choice is left to each country
ratifying the Convention. The general form and precise content of
the
SID must, however, conform to a model described in the Convention.
Each SID contains a bi-dimensional barcode which itself contains the
representation of a biometric template of two fingerprints. The
authorities concerned can compare the contents of this barcode with
the
fingerprints of the holder of the document to confirm his or her
identity. Theses authorities can also check the authenticity of the
document by referring to the issuing authority's database, directly
or
through a focal point.
Q: Is the SID like a passport, in electronic
form?
A: The SID will be machine-readable and will contain a barcode. If
any
part of a SID is not also eye-readable, the holder has the right to
see
what it says (i.e. a machine must be available for this purpose).
Q: When are the first SIDs going to be issued
and by whom?
A: SIDs are already being issued under the earlier ILO Convention
(No
108) that has now been revised by Convention No. 185. The 62 member
States that ratified that Convention could (as a transitional measure)
immediately decide to issue the new SID with increased security features
to seafarers in their countries. The three countries that have now
ratified Convention No.185 (France, Jordan and Nigeria) can also do
so
immediately. Under the new Convention, the SID has to be issued by
the
country of the seafarers' nationality or permanent residence. Countries
will no longer be able to issue the documents to foreign non-resident
seafarers serving on their ships.
Q: Will all countries ratifying the Convention
be obligated to issue
SIDs?
A: They will be obligated to issue a SID to any of their nationals
applying for one, as soon as the Convention enters into force for
them
(six months after ratification).
Q: What sort of technical work is required to issue and manage SIDs?
A: Measures need to be put in place to manufacture, keep safe custody
of, personalize and issue SID's while respecting the standards contained
in the Convention, its Annexes and the ILO technical biometric standard
ILO SID-0002. This is essential in order to ensure that these operations
are secure, e.g. to reduce the risk of fraudulent documents coming
into
circulation.
Q: What would happen if a major maritime country does not ratify
the
Convention or doesn't recognize SIDs?
A: The new SID will, on its merits alone, constitute a reliable means
of identification and is the only one so far in existence at the
international level. Hopefully, such a country would take this into
account.
1/ Seafarers' Identity Documents Convention, 2003 (No. 185) can be
found at www.ilo.org/ilolex/cgi-lex/convde.pl?C185. For more information
on this issue, please visit the ILO's Maritime Labour Standards page
www.ilo.org/public/english/dialogue/sector/sectors/mariti/standards.htm
2/ Please see press release ILO/04/37 at
www.ilo.org/public/english/bureau/inf/pr/2004/37.htm
For further information, please contact the ILO Department of
Communication, phone:
+4122/799-7912; fax: +4122/799-8577; e-mail: communication@ilo.org.
