Does MLC apply to my ship?

MLC 2006 applies to all ships, publicly or privately owned, ordinarily engaged in commercial activities — with exceptions for warships, naval auxiliaries, inland-water ships, fishing vessels, traditional craft, and ships under 200 GT not on international voyages. If your ship sails internationally and is over 200 GT, MLC applies.

What is the DMLC and where do I find it?

The Declaration of Maritime Labour Compliance (DMLC) is a two-part document. Part I is issued by the flag state and lists national MLC requirements. Part II is prepared by the shipowner and describes the ship's specific compliance measures. Both must be posted on board in a place accessible to all seafarers — typically the messroom noticeboard.

How do I see the financial-security certificate?

The financial-security certificates covering abandonment (MLC Std A2.5.2) and injury/death (Std A4.2.1) are posted on board alongside the DMLC Part II, typically in the messroom. They show the insurer's name, policy number, and contact details. Photograph them on joining.

Can I be fired for filing an MLC complaint?

MLC Standard A5.1.5 expressly prohibits victimisation of a seafarer who has used the on-board complaint procedure. Any adverse action taken against you in response to a complaint is itself a breach of MLC and should be reported to the flag state and, if in port, to PSC.

MLC 2006 — your bill of rights

The Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (MLC) entered into force on 20 August 2013 and is widely called the seafarers' bill of rights. It consolidated 37 earlier ILO maritime conventions and applies to every seafarer on every commercial ship over 200 GT on international voyages. It does not sit behind a paywall or require a lawyer to interpret: the five Titles below are your rights, stated plainly.

For the technical treatment — amendment texts, DMLC mechanics, port-state-control inspection procedures — see the MLC 2006 technical reference.

Your rights under the five Titles

Title 1 — Minimum requirements — who can work and under what conditions
- ·Minimum age of 16 (hazardous work: 18). The owner cannot put you to sea under that age.
- ·A valid medical certificate confirming fitness for duty — and the right to be repatriated if your health deteriorates.
- ·Training and qualifications recognised under STCW — you cannot be signed on for a rank you are not certified for.
- ·Recruitment through a licensed agency that does not charge you any fee (ILO C181 Art. 7 + MLC Std A1.4(5)(b)).
Title 2 — Conditions of employment — your contract, wages, hours, and repatriation
- ·A written, signed Seafarers' Employment Agreement (SEA) before boarding, with copies given to you.
- ·Monthly payment in full, a written wage account at each pay period, and the right to send an allotment home.
- ·Maximum 14 hours work in any 24-hour period and 72 hours in any 7-day period (STCW / MLC A2.3).
- ·Paid annual leave and the right to take it.
- ·Repatriation at the shipowner's expense after a maximum of 11 continuous months at sea.
- ·Financial security backing all of the above — mandatory since the 2014 amendments came into force in 2017.
Title 3 — Accommodation, food, and recreation — where you live on board
- ·Minimum cabin sizes and standards set by MLC for ships built after 2013.
- ·Adequate ventilation, heating, air conditioning, lighting, noise and vibration limits.
- ·Free, sufficient, varied, and nutritious food and drinking water at all times.
- ·Access to recreational facilities including internet access (mandatory from the 2022 amendments, in force 2024).
Title 4 — Health, medical care, welfare, and social security
- ·Medical care on board and ashore at no cost to you for the duration of your SEA.
- ·Financial security covering compensation for death or long-term disability arising in service (MLC Std A4.2.1).
- ·Health and safety protection on board, including the right to a harassment-free workplace (2024 amendments).
- ·Shore leave in port — MLC Reg 4.4 makes this a right, not a privilege.
- ·Social security cover arranged between your flag state, home state, and shipowner's state.
Title 5 — Compliance and enforcement — how the rules are policed
- ·A Maritime Labour Certificate and DMLC posted on board confirming the ship meets MLC standards.
- ·A written onboard complaint procedure posted in the messroom, with anti-retaliation protection (MLC A5.1.5).
- ·The right to complain directly to port-state-control officers in any MoU port, without flag-state intermediary (MLC A5.2.2).
- ·Port-state authority to detain the vessel until serious non-compliance is corrected.

What to do if you do not see compliance

Check the DMLC Part II posted in your messroom. It names the flag state's requirements, the shipowner's compliance measures, and the financial-security insurer.
Use the onboard complaint procedure — also posted in the messroom under MLC Std A5.1.5. You have the right to be accompanied and protected from retaliation.
If onboard channels fail: file with the flag state using the contact on the DMLC Part I, or look up the flag administration on IMO GISIS (gisis.imo.org).
In any MoU port: file directly with port-state-control officers. They can inspect, issue deficiency notices, and detain the vessel. They cannot disclose your identity without your consent.
Contact the ITF inspector at the port, ISWAN SeafarerHelp (24/7, multilingual), or your national union for third-party support at any step.

Financial security mechanisms

Two mandatory certificates must be posted on board (2014 amendments, in force 2017):

·Standard A2.5.2 (abandonment): covers unpaid wages up to four months and the full cost of repatriation when the shipowner has abandoned the crew. The insurer — typically the vessel's P&I club — is contractually bound to pay within the timeframe set by the flag state.
·Standard A4.2.1 (injury and death): covers contractual claims for long-term disability or death arising from service. Medical costs during the SEA are separately covered by MLC Reg 4.1. Both certificates are on the DMLC Part II; photograph them on joining.

DMLC display obligation

The DMLC — both Part I (flag state) and Part II (shipowner) — must be displayed at a place on board accessible to all seafarers and must be available for inspection at any time. A vessel without a visible DMLC is already in breach of MLC and is a valid port-state-control deficiency. If you cannot find it, ask the master and make a note of the response.

Key amendments timeline

2014Financial security for abandonment, injury, death
Mandatory financial-security certificates (Std A2.5.2 and A4.2.1) covering unpaid wages up to four months, repatriation, and death/disability compensation. In force 18 January 2017. Certificates must be posted on board.
2016Harassment and bullying policy
Guideline B4.3.1 added the explicit obligation to prevent harassment and bullying. Made mandatory by the 2024 amendments and the 2026 STCW review.
2018Wages during captivity (piracy)
SEA continues — wages and entitlements payable — while a seafarer is held in captivity, e.g. by pirates, regardless of contract expiry. In force 26 December 2020.
2022Internet, PPE, fatalities reporting
Required free reasonable internet access on board; minimum-quality PPE; mandatory reporting of crew fatalities to the flag state. In force 23 December 2024.
2024Harassment and bullying — mandatory
Converted the B4.3.1 guideline on harassment into a mandatory standard. Also expanded repatriation and financial-security obligations. In force 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Does MLC apply to my ship?
MLC 2006 applies to all ships, publicly or privately owned, ordinarily engaged in commercial activities — with exceptions for warships, naval auxiliaries, inland-water ships, fishing vessels, traditional craft, and ships under 200 GT not on international voyages. If your ship sails internationally and is over 200 GT, MLC applies.
What is the DMLC and where do I find it?
The Declaration of Maritime Labour Compliance (DMLC) is a two-part document. Part I is issued by the flag state and lists national MLC requirements. Part II is prepared by the shipowner and describes the ship's specific compliance measures. Both must be posted on board in a place accessible to all seafarers — typically the messroom noticeboard.
How do I see the financial-security certificate?
The financial-security certificates covering abandonment (MLC Std A2.5.2) and injury/death (Std A4.2.1) are posted on board alongside the DMLC Part II, typically in the messroom. They show the insurer's name, policy number, and contact details. Photograph them on joining.
Can I be fired for filing an MLC complaint?
MLC Standard A5.1.5 expressly prohibits victimisation of a seafarer who has used the on-board complaint procedure. Any adverse action taken against you in response to a complaint is itself a breach of MLC and should be reported to the flag state and, if in port, to PSC.

Related rights pages

Primary sources

Disclaimer. General information only — not legal advice. Rules vary by flag state, port state, vessel type, applicable CBA, and contract. For specific cases, contact the ITF, ISWAN, your union, or a maritime lawyer.

MLC 2006 — your bill of rights

Your rights under the five Titles

Title 1 — Minimum requirements — who can work and under what conditions

Title 2 — Conditions of employment — your contract, wages, hours, and repatriation

Title 3 — Accommodation, food, and recreation — where you live on board

Title 4 — Health, medical care, welfare, and social security

Title 5 — Compliance and enforcement — how the rules are policed