Nutrition onboard

MLC A3.2 catering — what to expect and what to do if it's failing.

MLC Standard A3.2 requires the shipowner to provide free food and drinking water of appropriate quality, quantity, and nutritional value, with catering staff trained as required. In practice catering is one of the most variable areas onboard, and a deteriorating menu correlates strongly with broader management problems — short stores, declining morale, port-state-control findings. Crew can — and should — escalate.

Practical steps

• Drink water regularly; dehydration is common on short rest cycles.
• Track what's actually on the table for a week before complaining.
• Use the MLC complaints procedure if catering is materially failing.
• Variety + freshness are the markers; cost is the operator's problem.

When to escalate

• If catering is materially failing or staff are not trained — raise via the onboard complaints procedure and, if not resolved, contact ISWAN or ITF.

Last verified 5 months ago