On 23 February, the ILO and the IMO marked 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 through an unprecedented tripartite consensus, the Convention established a comprehensive global framework regulating working and living conditions in one of the world’s most international industries. Over the past two decades, it has delivered concrete improvements by setting clear and enforceable minimum standards and underpinning them with strong compliance and enforcement mechanisms.
The COVID-19 pandemic underscored seafarers’ indispensable role as key workers and highlighted the importance of fully implementing and enforcing the protections enshrined in the Convention. Despite progress, significant challenges remain, including unlawful attacks on ships, abandonment and criminalization of seafarers, fatigue, unpaid wages and denial of shore leave. The ILO and IMO reaffirm their commitment to effective implementation worldwide and call on all States and industry stakeholders to uphold its standards and strengthen compliance.
Read more in IFSMA March Newsletter.