Seafarer Rights Under the MLC 2006 Convention: What You Need to Know to Avoid Being Deceived

The MLC 2006 convention is called the "bill of rights for seafarers." It is an international document that establishes minimum labor standards on ships throughout the world. It came into force in 2013 and is now ratified by more than 100 countries, which account for the overwhelming majority of the world's commercial fleet.

The problem is that many seafarers — especially young ones — know about this only in general terms. "Well, something about working hours and salary." And when their rights are violated, they don't know what to do or who to contact.

Let's fix this.

Working Hours: Where's the Line

MLC establishes two options for tracking working hours, and the shipowner chooses one of them.

Option A — maximum working hours:
- No more than 14 hours in any 24 hours
- No more than 72 hours in any 7 days

Option B — minimum rest hours:
- At least 10 hours of rest in any 24 hours
- At least 77 hours of rest in any 7 days

Rest hours can be divided into a maximum of two periods, one of which must be at least 6 hours continuous.

These are minimum standards. If your ship systematically violates rest periods, and watch logs are "drawn" for inspections — this is an MLC violation, and you can and should deal with it.

Salary: When and How You Should Be Paid

Wages must be paid no less than once a month. Wage delays are a direct violation of the convention.

A seafarer has the right to transfer part of their salary to their family. The shipowner is obligated to provide such an opportunity — this is not a privilege, it is a right.

Upon termination, all accrued amounts must be paid within 30 days from the end of the contract.

If wages are delayed — this is a reason to contact an ITF inspector in the nearest port. More on this below.

Repatriation: Who Pays to Get You Home

This is one of the most important points. A seafarer has the right to repatriation — return home at the shipowner's expense — in the following cases:

• Expiration of the contract period
• Illness or injury (when treatment ashore is required)
• Shipwreck
• Shipowner insolvency (bankruptcy and inability to pay)
• Shipowner breach of contract terms
• Work in an armed conflict zone, if the seafarer did not consent

Repatriation costs include: transport to the repatriation location (usually the country of registration or place of hiring), food and accommodation en route, medical escort if necessary.

If the shipowner refuses to organize repatriation or cannot do so (bankruptcy), the flag state gets involved.

Medicine Aboard and Ashore

The shipowner must provide medical care aboard — including necessary medications and medical equipment according to requirements. Free for the seafarer.

If disembarkation is necessary for treatment — the shipowner bears the cost of medical care. This applies while the seafarer is on contract.

Important point: in case of injury or illness related to work, the right to medical care is preserved for a minimum of 16 weeks after disembarkation from the ship. This is directly stated in the convention.

Accommodation and Food on the Ship

MLC establishes minimum standards for accommodation aboard: cabin size, ventilation, lighting, sanitation facilities. If living conditions clearly do not meet standards — this is also a violation.

Food at the shipowner's expense — not an option, but an obligation. It must be sufficient in quantity and meet basic quality requirements.

What to Do If Your Rights Are Violated

Step 1: Internal procedures. Every ship must have a grievance procedure. A seafarer has the right to file a complaint with the captain and receive a response. If the complaint is about the captain himself — contact the shipowner directly.

Step 2: ITF inspector. The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) has inspectors in most major ports of the world. Their contacts are on the itfseafarers.org website. An ITF inspector can intervene in a situation right in the port — detain the ship until issues are resolved.

Step 3: Flag state. Contact the administration of the ship's flag — each flag has a maritime administration that is obligated to respond to complaints from seafarers on its ships.

Step 4: Port state control (PSC). If the ship has entered a port — PSC inspectors check, among other things, compliance with MLC. You have the right to file a complaint with them.

Who Is Not Protected by MLC

The convention applies to most commercial vessels of 500 GT or more engaged in international voyages. Small vessels, fishing vessels (which have a separate convention C188) and some special categories may not be covered by MLC.

Know your rights — now look for a decent contract. Current vacancies from verified shipowners — on seajobs.pro.