ABSTRACT
The globalization of the ship industry leads to a constant pursuit of legal harmonization, expected to be achieved through international Conventions codifying what can be considered as common practices and minimum standards. Unfortunately, over the years this pursuit has proved difficult if not impossible to achieve. In this regard, the Maritime Labour Convention may be considered one of the few, if not the sole, international Convention relating to maritime law to have successfully achieved such harmonization/codification goal, making it worth analysing the multitude of factors that may have led to this success.
