Introduction

The Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC) sets out the standards relating to the working and living conditions of seafarers. In Australia, the MLC has been implemented through the Navigation Act 2012 and associated delegated legislation such as Marine Order 11 (Living and working conditions on vessels).

Complaints relating to Title 2 of MLC – Conditions of employment continue to make up the majority of MLC complaints received by AMSA. These complaints relate to seafarer employment agreements (SEAs), wages, hours of work and rest, entitlement to leave, repatriation, and crewing^* levels. This indicates that the MLC amendments entered into force on 18 January 2017, which address employment conditions of seafarers, have not been fully implemented by some owners and operators.

Footnotes

^* Derivations of the word 'crewing' are used by AMSA interchangeably with derivations of the word 'manning', as in IMO, ILO, Australian legislation, and other relevant documents.