The Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC, 2006) was adopted by the International Labour Organization (ILO) to establish comprehensive rights and protection for seafarers worldwide. It aims to ensure decent working and living conditions onboard ships and is often referred to as the "Seafarers' Bill of Rights."

Structure of MLC, 2006

The Convention consists of three main parts:

1. Articles
   • Contain the fundamental rights and principles of the Convention.
2. Regulations
   • Define the basic obligations and responsibilities of Member States.
3. Code
   • Provides detailed requirements for implementation and is divided into:
     • Part A – Mandatory Standards.
     • Part B – Non-mandatory Guidelines.

Titles of the Convention

The Convention is further divided into five Titles:

• Title 1: Minimum requirements for seafarers to work on a ship.
• Title 2: Conditions of employment.
• Title 3: Accommodation, recreational facilities, food, and catering.
• Title 4: Health protection, medical care, welfare, and social security protection.
• Title 5: Compliance and enforcement.

Under the MLC, shipowners are required to provide adequate health and safety protection to all seafarers. These protections include:

1. A safe and hygienic working environment onboard.
2. Implementation of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) programmes.
3. Conducting risk assessments and adopting accident prevention measures.
4. Providing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) free of charge.
5. Ensuring access to medical care onboard and ashore, comparable to that available to workers ashore.
6. Establishing procedures for reporting and investigating accidents and occupational diseases.
7. Providing health protection, welfare facilities, and social security protection for seafarers.

The MLC requires every ship to have a fair, effective, and documented onboard complaint procedure to enable seafarers to raise grievances without fear of retaliation.

The procedure generally follows these steps:

1. The seafarer should first submit the complaint to their immediate superior.
2. If the matter is not resolved, it may be escalated to the Head of Department and subsequently to the Master.
3. The seafarer has the right to be accompanied or represented during the complaint process.
4. Complaints must be handled confidentially, and victimization or retaliation against the complainant is prohibited.
5. If the complaint remains unresolved onboard, the seafarer may refer the matter to the Flag State Administration, Port State authorities, or other competent authorities.