TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The first fishing trawler in Taiwan built according to new human rights regulations will set sail next week, reports said Friday (Oct. 21).

The International Labor Organization (ILO) adopted its C188 Convention to improve human rights and working conditions for crews on board fishing vessels, with items of concern including working hours, rest times, healthcare, and the treatment of migrant workers on long-range trips.

The first ship built in Taiwan according to the C188 Convention is scheduled to set out to sea Monday (Oct. 24) from Yanpu Harbor in Donggang, Pingtung County, the Taiwan Deepsea Longline Tuna Boatowners and Exporters Association said Friday.

The specifics include a bed space of more than 1 square meter, 70 centimeters wide, and 180 cm long, with four people per room, and one bathroom per six people, association secretary-general Ho Shih-chieh told CNA. The hallway needs to be at least 190 cm high, and the ship also has to have a dining room, leading to a 30% increase in the construction cost, according to Ho.

The cost is expected to lead to many local fishermen abandoning their profession altogether once their ships are too old, Ho said. Nevertheless, a shipyard in Donggang decided to build the “Chien Yuan Ming No.88” according to the new specifications.

The fishing vessel weighs 198 tons, measures 33 meters, and is equipped with three bathrooms, a water heater, a refrigerator, and air conditioning, the report said.