1. This Convention applies to all persons who are employed as seafarers.
2. For the purpose of this Convention, the term “seafarer” means a person who is employed in any capacity on board a sea-going ship registered in a territory for which the Convention is in force, other than-
(a) a ship of war;
(b) a ship engaged in fishing or in operations directly connected therewith or in whaling or similar pursuits.
3. National laws or regulations shall determine, after consultation with the organisations of shipowners and seafarers concerned, where such exist, which ships are to be regarded as sea-going ships for the purpose of this Convention.
4. Each Member which ratifies this Convention may, after consultation with the organisations of employers and workers concerned, where such exist, extend its application, with the modifications rendered necessary by the conditions of the industry, to the persons excluded from the definition of seafarers by paragraph 2, subparagraph (b), of this Article, or to certain categories thereof.
5. Each Member which extends the application of this Convention in pursuance of paragraph 4 of this Article at the time of ratifying it shall specify in a declaration appended to its ratification the categories to which the application is extended and the modifications, if any, rendered necessary.
6. Each member which has ratified this Convention may further subsequently notify the Director-General of the International Labour Office, by a declaration, that it extends the application of the Convention to categories beyond those, if any, specified at the time of ratification.
7. In so far as necessary, measures may be taken by the competent authority of through the appropriate machinery in a country, after consultation with the organisations of shipowners and seafarers concerned, where such exist, to exclude from the application of this Convention limited categories of persons employed on board seagoing ships.
8. Each Member which ratifies this Convention shall list, in the first report on the application of the Convention submitted under
article 22 of the Constitution of the International Labour Organisation, any categories which may have been excluded in pursuance of paragraphs 3 and 7 of this Article, giving the reasons for such exclusion, and shall state in subsequent reports the position of its law and practice in respect of the categories excluded and the extent to which effect has been given or is proposed to be given to the Convention in respect of such categories.