The world’s leading maritime labour and shipping bodies have marked the twentieth anniversary of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) with a renewed campaign to strengthen protections for seafarers and a fresh appeal for governments worldwide to formally recognise them as essential workers in the global supply chain.
The anniversary of the Maritime Labour Convention, adopted on 23 February 2006, was commemorated by the International Labour Organization, the International Chamber of Shipping and the International Transport Workers’ Federation. In a joint statement on Monday, the organisations highlighted how the Convention unified nearly seventy separate maritime labour instruments into a single enforceable global framework governing wages, working hours, medical care, accommodation, repatriation and welfare standards at sea. The agreement itself was the product of rare tripartite consensus among governments, shipowners and seafarers, a cooperative model the bodies said remains central to its continuing relevance.
Since entering into force, the Convention has transformed shipboard employment conditions and strengthened oversight through flag-state and port-state inspection regimes. Amendments adopted over the years have expanded financial security protections, tackled the persistent problem of seafarer abandonment and criminalisation, and introduced safeguards in response to issues exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, including crew-change barriers and harassment at sea. Maritime leaders said the pandemic underscored seafarers’ indispensable role in sustaining global trade while simultaneously exposing inconsistencies in how states treat maritime workers during crises.
Despite the Convention’s progress, the anniversary message carried a note of urgency. The organisations warned that serious challenges continue to confront crews, including unlawful attacks on vessels, fatigue, unpaid wages, denial of shore leave and abandonment cases.
They stressed that the Convention’s status as a “living instrument” allows it to evolve with changing industry realities through amendments adopted by its Special Tripartite Committee, ensuring that standards keep pace with geopolitical instability, security risks and the accelerating climate transition affecting shipping.
Beyond safeguarding welfare, the Convention has also reshaped competitive dynamics in global shipping by reducing incentives for substandard labour practices, a development industry leaders say promotes safer and more resilient maritime transport. Yet, two decades after its landmark adoption, the collective message from labour and shipowners remains unequivocal: the framework is effective, but its promise depends on consistent enforcement by governments and formal recognition of seafarers as essential workers whose rights and welfare underpin the functioning of world trade.