Amendments to the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006
The most recent amendments to the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) of 2006, represent a significant step in strengthening the rights and welfare of seafarers. These changes, adopted at international level during the 110th session of the International Labour Conference have been transposed into Maltese law through Legal Notice 26 of 2025 and published by Transport Malta through the Merchant Shipping Notice No. 190 of the 5th February 2025. The amendments respond to critical issues exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic and reflect a broader commitment to the progressive enhancement of international maritime labour standards.
A significant addition to the regulatory framework is introducing a mandatory wage protection system. Under the newly inserted Regulation 19A of the Merchant Shipping (Maritime Labour Convention) Regulations (Subsidiary Legislation 234.51 Laws of Malta), shipowners are now required to ensure that an insurance mechanism or an equivalent appropriate measure is in place to compensate seafarers for monetary losses resulting from the failure of a recruitment or placement service, or the shipowner’s non-fulfilment of contractual obligations under a seafarer’s employment agreement. As outlined under Regulation 1.4 and Standard A1.4 of the MLC, such failures may include, the unlawful charging of recruitment fees to seafarers, the provision of misleading or fraudulent employment information, failure to arrange the agreed placement after a seafarer has incurred related expenses due to administrative negligence. Furthermore, seafarers must be informed, either before or during the engagement process, of their entitlements under this protective scheme. Regulation 54 pursues the same objective of wage protection and affirms that a seafarer’s entitlement to wages is not contingent upon the earning of freight. This provision reinforces the principle that wages are payable under the employment agreement, regardless of the voyage’s commercial outcome.
Another important development is the enhancement of onboard nutrition standards. Shipowners must now provide food and drinking water free of charge, ensuring that all meals are balanced, nutritious, and sufficient in both quantity and quality. While the MLC does not prescribe a specific dietary or caloric standard, these requirements are understood to be assessed according to national health guidelines and relevant ILO recommendations, such as those found in the ILO Guidelines on the Training of Ships’ Cooks. Compliance is typically evaluated through a combination of onboard inspections, crew feedback, and documentation of food provisions.
Occupational safety requirements have also been reinforced. Shipowners are obliged to provide appropriately sized personal protective equipment to all seafarers. This measure aims to prevent occupational accidents and reflects a greater focus on the suitability and adequacy of protective gear provided onboard.
The obligation to report deaths of seafarers occurring on board Maltese-flagged vessels was already established under national law, specifically under the Merchant Shipping Act. The 2025 amendments build upon this framework by introducing an international reporting obligation.
Finally, the amendments also address the social dimension of seafarers’ welfare. Shipowners are now required to ensure that recreational facilities support social connectivity. This includes, where available, reasonable access to ship-to-shore telephone communications and internet connectivity. These measures aim to mitigate the psychological strain of long periods at sea and promote mental well-being, an area of concern brought into sharp focus during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The amendments introduced to domestic legislation earlier this year, rooted in the outcomes of the 110th Session of the International Labour Conference, entered into force internationally on 23 December 2024, aligning national frameworks with evolving global maritime labour standards.
This article was co-authored by Matteo Fugazza.
