The Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 — your rights covering employment, wages, rest hours, accommodation, food, medical care, and the on-board complaint process.
No person below the minimum age (16) may be employed or engaged to work on a ship.
Night work and hazardous work are restricted for seafarers under 18 — check the specific limits under your flag state.
Seafarers must hold a valid medical certificate attesting fitness for the duties they are to perform.
Certificates are generally valid for up to 2 years (1 year for seafarers under 18), issued by a qualified medical practitioner recognized by the flag state.
Seafarers must be trained and certified competent to perform their duties, in line with STCW requirements.
Personal safety training (e.g. basic safety training) is required before assignment to any shipboard duties.
Recruitment and placement services used by seafarers must not charge the seafarer, directly or indirectly, any fee for finding employment — this includes so-called "placement fees".
If you are asked to pay a manning agency to secure a job, this is a red flag — legitimate MLC-compliant recruitment does not charge job-seeking seafarers.
You have the right to raise a complaint about an MLC breach without fear of penalization. Start with the on-board procedure (usually via the master). If unresolved, you can contact your flag state, or — while in a foreign port — the port state authorities. Keep a written record of what you raised and any response.
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