The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) are marking the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC, 2006), a landmark treaty that has reshaped working and living conditions for seafarers worldwide and strengthened fair competition in global shipping.
Adopted on 23 February 2006 by the International Maritime Labour Conference through an unprecedented tripartite consensus, the MLC, 2006 stands as a powerful example of social dialogue and multilateral cooperation in action. Governments, shipowners and seafarers came together to establish a comprehensive global framework to regulate working and living conditions in one of the world's most international industries.
Over the past two decades, the Convention has delivered concrete improvements for millions of seafarers. By setting clear and enforceable minimum standards covering conditions of employment, wages, hours of work and rest, accommodation, health protection, medical care, welfare and social security, and by underpinning them with strong compliance and enforcement mechanisms, the MLC, 2006 has effectively contributed to the realization of decent work at sea.
At the same time, the Convention has helped level the playing field for responsible shipowners by reducing unfair competition based on substandard labour conditions. In doing so, it has strengthened the safety, efficiency and resilience of maritime transport, a critical pillar of the global economy.
The COVID-19 pandemic underscored seafarers' indispensable role as key workers, ensuring the uninterrupted flow of essential goods around the world. The crisis also highlighted the importance of fully implementing and enforcing the protections enshrined in the MLC, 2006.
Despite undeniable progress, significant challenges remain. Seafarers and the shipping industry continue to face unlawful attacks on ships, abandonment and criminalization of seafarers, fatigue, unpaid wages and denial of shore leave. Yet, the MLC, 2006 is designed as a living instrument, capable of adapting to new and persistent challenges through tripartite dialogue.
The Special Tripartite Committee of the MLC, 2006 - the body responsible for keeping the Convention under review - has demonstrated its capacity to adopt necessary amendments, ensuring that the Convention remains responsive to emerging realities and to the need for continuous improvements of seafarers' rights.
The ILO reaffirms its commitment to the effective implementation of the MLC, 2006 worldwide, with the full support of the IMO, in accordance with its mandate. IMO and ILO call on all States and industry stakeholders to uphold its standards, strengthen compliance and work in partnership to guarantee seafarers' rights and promote a fair, inclusive and sustainable future for global shipping.
Watch ILO Director-General video statement:
Watch IMO Secretary-General video statement:
IMO has worked in conjunction with ILO to develop and deliver key guidelines to support seafarers' rights, including those on dealing with seafarer abandonment cases and on fair treatment of seafarers in the event of a maritime accident and detentions in connection with alleged crimes. IMO's Legal Committee has a standing agenda item on "Fair treatment of seafarers".
The Joint ILO/IMO Tripartite Working Group to Identify and Address Seafarers' Issues and the Human Element (JTWG) was established in 2022. Items on the group's agenda have included tackling violence and harassment in the maritime sector, including sexual assault and sexual harassment.
