The UK Maritime & Coastguard Agency is holding a public consultation on the new rights enshrined in the 2022 amendments to the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC).
These rights enter into force on 23 December 2024, but must be entered into the law of countries that are signatories to the MLC before they take effect. In the UK, this will happen sometime in 2025 using the new Merchant Shipping (Maritime Labour Convention) (Reform and Revocation Amendments) Regulations 2025 and the Merchant Shipping (Maritime Labour Convention) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2025.
Why does the consultation matter?
This is an opportunity for interested parties and experts – including individual seafarers who will be directly affected and representative bodies like Nautilus International – to have their say on what impact these regulations will have, and any potential gaps or unintended consequences.
It is expected to run for six weeks, ending on 22 January.
The MCA is keen to hear the views of as many seafarers as possible to ensure that MLC rights are effectively entered into UK law. To participate, please contact the MCA directly or get in touch with Nautilus, which will also be responding to the consultation.
What are the 2022 MLC amendments?
Many of the 2022 amendments are already covered under UK law. They cover areas such as the requirement to report deaths and injuries onboard, and the repatriation of abandoned seafarers.
However, changes are required to UK law in four areas: access to social connectivity; to the financial security certificate of the ship; the requirement to provide a diet which is not only nutritious, but also 'balanced'; and a requirement for recruitment and placement services to provide seafarers with ‘adequate information regarding the system of protection to cover monetary loss if they or their employer does not meet its obligations (i.e. this system would cover item like unpaid wages, contractual benefits and repatriation).
You can read the full list of amendments and watch an interview with Nautilus director of legal services Charles Boyle about what they mean for Nautilus members here.
How to share your views
Nautilus director of legal services Charles Boyle will be giving an official response to the MLC amendments on behalf of the Union.
If you would like to share your own views, you can do so via Nautilus by emailing legal@nautilusint.org, or alternatively you can send them directly to the MCA via the form here before 22 January 2025.
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