The ILO MLC is a truly ground-breaking instrument. The shipping industry is unique in being the only industrial sector to have such a comprehensive global regime in place, setting out mandatory standards for the employment of the world’s two million merchant seafarers, which are now strictly enforced by governments worldwide through a sophisticated system of flag state inspections and port state control.

The fourth edition of Guidelines on the IMO STCW Convention sets out the obligations for shipping companies and includes guidance on how to ensure compliance on board.

The Maritime Labour Convention, 2006, as amended (MLC, 2006), a landmark international labour Convention, was adopted by the 94th (Maritime) Session of the International Labour Conference.