ICS Endorses Major Updates to MLC for Improved Seafarer Welfare

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has expressed its approval of the significant updates made to the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) following a week of intense negotiations in Geneva. The Special Tripartite Committee on the MLC, consisting of governments, shipowners, and unions, met to review and adopt amendments aimed at improving the working and living conditions of seafarers. These updates reflect the evolving needs of seafarers and the maritime industry, with provisions such as designating seafarers as key workers, enhancing requirements for repatriation, ensuring access to shore leave without visas, and strengthening protections against bullying and harassment.

One notable outcome of the negotiations was the agreement to include a new provision in the MLC recommending the carriage of the ICS International Medical Guide for Seafarers and Fishers on board ships. This guide, developed with the support of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and the International Maritime Health Association (IMHA), complements existing requirements for ships to carry a medical guide. The ILO’s maritime tripartite regulatory structure, which brings together national governments, global shipowners coordinated by ICS, and global seafarers coordinated by ITF, also agreed on a package of resolutions, including establishing a framework for a joint meeting with Member States of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to align seafarer hours of work and rest provisions.

The ICS and its partners in the ILO negotiations have made significant progress in addressing the needs of seafarers and improving standards in the maritime industry. The updates to the MLC demonstrate a commitment to ensuring the well-being and rights of seafarers, with measures aimed at enhancing their working conditions and protections against various challenges they may face at sea. The collaborative efforts of governments, shipowners, and unions in these negotiations highlight the importance of stakeholder engagement in shaping regulations that benefit all parties involved in the maritime sector.

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