MLC 2006 and seafarers' welfare: from meeting the minimum to governing the human element

Two complementary systems, not one

The STCW Convention focuses mainly on seafarers’ competence, training and watchkeeping, while the MLC, 2006, developed under the International Labour Organization (ILO), covers a wide range of seafarers’ employment rights and living conditions. Separating the two is essential for identifying the competent authority on wages, hours of rest, accommodation, medical care, complaints and repatriation.

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Seafarer abandonment is a chain risk

In a case of abandonment, the right response is not just writing to the shipowner. Depending on the legal position and the States’ membership, the flag State, the port State, the insurer’s or financial security provider’s representative and the repatriation mechanisms must be coordinated in one action plan. Checking the financial security and its documents, the status of unpaid wages and the crew’s quick access to a complaint procedure are the main lines of case management.

Stating the status of amendments correctly

The MLC has been amended several times. According to the official ILO record, the 2022 amendments entered into force in December 2024; the 2025 amendments had not yet entered into force when this encyclopedia was prepared, and the expected date for them is given as December 2027. A management report must show these two situations separately.

Institutional actions

Organise the oversight programme along three lines: inspector competence and training, the complaint handling route and coordination with the company and the responsible bodies. Build a dashboard of complaints, handling times, recurring problems with hours of rest and the status of document checks. Consider mental health and psychological safety in risk management as well, without replacing specialist medical and support services.