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The Committee notes the information in the Government’s report. It notes with concern that issuance of the seafarers’ identity document has been discontinued and that all seafarers receive passports. It now notes from the latest report that in its 1999 report on the application of the Convention, the Government inadvertently stated that the Continuous Discharge Book served as the identity document. It further notes from the latest report that issuance of Seafarers’ Certificates of Nationality and Identity, which was the seafarers’ identity document, has been "discontinued for some time".

Finally, the Committee recalls that in reply to Part V of the report form, the Government states that "no difficulty was encountered in the application of the Convention", while at the same time informing the Committee that it no longer applies the Convention at all.

The Committee recalls that the identity document is not a passport, and as a general rule, a passport cannot be issued in lieu of the identity document. It once again draws the Government’s attention to the distinction between passports and identity documents in its comments on the application of the Convention (International Labour Conference, 87th Session, 1999, Report III (Part 1A), pages 21-23).

It further recalls that the issuance of an identity document conforming with the provisions of Article 4 of the Convention is an entitlement for nationals who are seafarers, and the issuance of a passport does not fulfil this requirement.

Having noted that the points raised in its previous direct request are being actively considered, and in light of the Committee’s further comments, it requests the Government to indicate the concrete steps being taken to re-establish the seafarers’ identity document in accordance with the requirements of the Convention.

[The Government is asked to report in detail in 2002.]