See unitsPersonal safety, social responsibilities and preventing violence and harassment (STCW A-VI/1-4)
Your rights under the Maritime Labour Convention
1The lesson in plain words
The Maritime Labour Convention is the seafarers' bill of rights: a fair contract, pay, rest, food, medical care and a way home.
What the MLC is
The Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC) sets minimum living and working conditions for seafarers. The flag state, the country where the ship is registered, checks compliance and certifies ships where required. Port state control means inspections by port authorities of visiting foreign ships. Your rights come with obligations: follow lawful orders, the safety rules and the ship's policies.
Contract and pay
Before you sail you sign a seafarer employment agreement (SEA), and you must have time to read it and get advice. It states your job, wages, leave, repatriation and benefits, and you keep a signed copy. Wages are paid at least monthly, with a monthly account, and you can send part of them home. You earn paid annual leave of at least 2.5 days per month of service.
Hours, food and health
Follow the rest limits in the fatigue lesson. You are entitled to decent accommodation, free food and good-quality drinking water, and medical care on board and ashore, normally free. The 2022 amendments, in force 23 December 2024, require properly fitting PPE and social connectivity (keeping in touch ashore); guidance recommends internet access where reasonably practicable, with reasonable charges if any.
Complaints and going home
Use the on-board complaint procedure to report problems. You may go directly to the master or appropriate outside authorities and have someone accompany or represent you. Victimisation (punishing you for complaining) is prohibited. Repatriation means returning home at the shipowner’s cost, for example after your contract expires abroad or illness prevents work. National rules set a maximum service period below 12 months. Shipowners must arrange financial security (insurance or another financial guarantee) for abandonment and contractual death or long-term disability claims.
What comes next
Amendments adopted in 2025, expected in force in December 2027, add protection against violence and harassment, strengthen shore leave and fair repatriation, and call seafarers key workers. Prevent pollution: use the ship's designated waste collection systems and report spills; see Ocean: pollution.
2Key data
- Wages
- Paid at least monthly, with a monthly account
- Paid annual leave
- At least 2.5 days per month of service
- Maximum service before repatriation
- Less than 12 months
- 2022 amendments
- In force 23 Dec 2024: connectivity, free drinking water, fitted PPE
- 2025 amendments
- Expected in force Dec 2027: harassment, shore leave, repatriation
3Key points
- 1
The MLC sets minimum living and working conditions; flag and port states check them.
- 2
Read your employment agreement before signing and keep a signed copy.
- 3
Wages at least monthly; paid leave; free food and drinking water; medical care normally free.
- 4
Use the on-board complaint procedure without fear of victimisation.
- 5
The shipowner pays repatriation and holds financial security for abandonment.
4Frequent mistakes
Wrong: Sign the contract on the gangway; you can read it later.
Right: You have the right to read and understand your agreement before signing, and to keep a copy.
Wrong: If you complain, you will lose your job, so stay silent.
Right: The MLC complaint procedure protects you from victimisation. You can go to the flag state if needed.
5Practice case & exam keys
Your wages are two months late and the company stops answering the master's emails. The ship is in port with little food left, and the crew fear they have been abandoned.
Show the answer
Two months of unpaid contractual wages can constitute abandonment. You may contact the flag state or port state control directly; ask a seafarer welfare or union representative for help. Use the financial-security certificate displayed on board to contact the provider. Abandonment security covers up to four months of unpaid wages and contractual entitlements, repatriation and essential needs, including food and medical care.
Exam keys
- MLC 2006: minimum conditions, checked by flag state and port state control.
- SEA read before signing, copy kept; wages at least monthly; leave 2.5 days a month.
- Free food and drinking water; medical care normally free; complaints without victimisation.
- Repatriation at the shipowner's cost; financial security for abandonment, death and disability.
Finish this unit
When you've read it, answer three questions. Get all three right to finish the unit; opening the page alone doesn't count.
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