25 FEB 2026
The International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) marked the 20th anniversary of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) this week with a renewed push to strengthen seafarer protections — and a fresh call for governments to formally recognize seafarers as essential workers.
Adopted on February 23, 2006, after rare tripartite agreement between governments, shipowners, and seafarers, the MLC consolidated roughly 70 existing maritime labor instruments into a single global rulebook. It established enforceable minimum standards covering wages, hours of rest, medical care, accommodation, repatriation, and welfare — creating what many in the industry describe as a clear global baseline for decent work at sea.
“The adoption of the MLC was made possible through close and constructive tripartite cooperation,” the organizations said in a joint statement, emphasizing that the Convention remains both ambitious in its protections and practical in its implementation across a global industry.
Since entering into force, the MLC has reshaped shipboard life and compliance oversight, strengthening enforcement through flag and port state control regimes. Amendments over the years have bolstered financial security protections, addressed seafarer abandonment and criminalization, and added safeguards in response to COVID-era crew change crises and shipboard harassment.
The pandemic, in particular, put a spotlight on seafarers’ role in keeping global trade moving — and exposed gaps in how governments treat maritime workers during emergencies. Industry groups say that experience reinforced the need for consistent implementation and recognition of seafarers as key workers.
Still, challenges remain. The joint statement pointed to ongoing concerns including unlawful attacks on ships, abandonment cases, fatigue, unpaid wages, and denial of shore leave. The Convention’s structure as a “living instrument” allows it to evolve, with its Special Tripartite Committee empowered to adopt amendments as conditions change.
“In a context of geopolitical uncertainty, climate and technological / digital transition which significantly affect shipping and seafarers, we reemphasize our shared resolve to ensure that the MLC remains robust and is fully implemented,” the organizations said.
Beyond worker protections, the MLC has also helped level the competitive landscape by reducing incentives for substandard labor practices — a shift industry leaders say supports safer, more resilient maritime transport.
Two decades on, the message from labor and shipowners alike is clear: the framework works — but only if governments enforce it.