With a background as safety and fire safety expert, Cor Blonk started his career in the fishing industry 20 years ago in the position of Secretary of Labour Affairs of the Dutch Pelagic Shipowners Association of high sea fisheries and the Pelagic Freezer-trawler Association, a European pelagic shipowners association.
In his profession, Cor is involved in a large spectrum of crew related topics, such as collective bargaining agreements, implementation in national legislation of international legislation as IMO STCW-F, ILO Work in Fishing Convention and EU directives, safety and health on board. He was the initiator and is secretariat of the Fishing industry Safety and Health Platform. Furthermore, he is a key stakeholder from the side of the fishing industry with respect to maritime education and training in The Netherlands.
Cor has been involved in the development of IMO/ILO/FAO Safety Recommendations for Decked fishing vessels of Less than 12 metres in Length and undecked fishing vessels, took part in the negotiations on the Work in Fishing Convention at the ILO in 2004, 2005 and 2007 and is a member of the Dutch delegation to IMO HTW for the comprehensive review of IMO STCW-F during HTW 3, 4, 5 and 6 and during the negotiations on the Cape Town Agreement.