The International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) marked the 20th anniversary of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) with renewed calls to strengthen seafarer protections and formally recognize seafarers as essential workers.

Adopted on February 23, 2006, the Maritime Labour Convention unified approximately 70 existing maritime labor instruments into a single global framework governing working and living conditions at sea. The Convention established enforceable minimum standards covering wages, hours of rest, medical care, accommodation, repatriation, and welfare, creating a clear global baseline for decent work in the maritime sector.

In a joint statement, the organizations emphasized that the MLC’s adoption was made possible through rare tripartite cooperation among governments, shipowners, and seafarers. Two decades later, they stress that continued collaboration is essential to ensure the Convention remains effective amid evolving industry challenges and workforce pressures.