Seafarers Win Critical Updates to ILO’s Maritime Labour Convention

Shipowners, governments, and labor unions agreed to a sweeping series of changes to the master agreement known as the Maritime Labour Convention, a global agreement that establishes minimum standards for the working and living conditions of seafarers. The updates, which are being called groundbreaking for the industry, come as the modern MLC prepares to mark its 20th anniversary after the consolidation of 37 conventions into the MLC in 2006.

Many of the issues that were presented during the meeting in Geneva last week emerged during the pandemic when seafarers were trapped at sea. The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) took the lead in representing seafarers during the negotiations after being at the forefront as an advocate during the pandemic to get seafarers designated as key workers and create greater freedom for shore leave, crew changes, and travel.

Under the auspices of the International Labour Organization, the Special Tripartite Committee on the MLC meets every three years to review the master contract. The ILO’s maritime tripartite regulatory structure brings together national governments, alongside a global shipowners group co-ordinated by ICS and a global seafarers group co-ordinated by ITF. It is highlighted that the ILO is the only tripartite UN agency through which national governments alongside sectoral social partners (employer and worker representatives) establish labor standards and policies, through open debates and negotiations.

“We have been able to deliver some significant improvements to seafarers’ rights in collaboration with our government and social partners,” said Tim Springett, Chair of the ICS Labour Affairs Committee and Spokesperson for the Shipowners’ Group at the ILO meeting. “The accomplishments of STC prove that – whatever the issue facing our industry – when we come together, we can work it out.”

Among the amendments agreed to improve the working and living conditions of seafarers on board ships were provisions for seafarers to be designated as key workers. They also agreed to strengthen requirements to support seafarer repatriation, new mandatory measures to ensure that seafarers have access to shore leave without needing a visa or special permit, and enhanced protections against bullying and harassment.

THE ICS says recognizing that seafarers are among the most isolated people on earth when it comes to medical care, the ILO also approved new MLC provisions recommending carriage of the ICS International Medical Guide for Seafarers and Fishers on board ships. The first edition of the International Medical Guide for Seafarers and Fishers was published in March 2023 and is specifically designed for use by those responsible for medical care on board ships, rather than shore-based professionals. The guide was developed through a collaborative effort led by the ICS, with the support of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and the International Maritime Health Association (IMHA).

The meeting also agreed to a package of complementary resolutions, one of which established a framework for a future joint meeting between the ILO tripartite partners and Member States of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), to review and potentially align overlapping seafarer hours of work and rest provisions, within the remit of conventions overseen by both organizations.

The new measures adopted by the ILO are expected to be rubberstamped in Geneva, during the 113th Session of ILO’s International Labour Conference in June. They are then expected to enter into effect two years later in December 2027.

The text of MLC amendments as adopted can be accessed online. The next STC meeting is set to take place in April 2028.