Guidance

Annex A: Summary of proposed changes

Published 31 October 2024

1. MLC 2006, Amendments 2022 requiring UK legislative change:

No.	MLC reference	Purpose of change	Objective
1	Standard A1.4.5(c)(vi) - Recruitment and placement	Recruitment and placement services (RPS) to provide seafarers with adequate information about the system of protection to cover monetary loss if employer or RPS does not meet their obligations.	This would mean that should a seafarer find themselves stranded after travelling to any place in the world to board a ship and the position no longer being available, that they would not have to fund their return journey. This became a major concern during the pandemic with vessels ceasing to trade, ports closing and other aspects involved where recruitment placements failed.
2	Standard A3.1.17 - Accommodation and recreational facilities	The amendment adds “including social connectivity” to Standard A3.1, paragraph 17. This will enable seafarers to maintain communication with their family and friends when they are away from home, often for several months at a time. This would mandate access to social communications for seafarers (i.e. social media, messaging apps etc) on board ship. Strengthened guidelines for shipowner to provide on board ship and for provision in ports. This will enable seafarers to maintain communication with their family and friends when they are away from home, often for several months at a time.	The working life and home life of a seafarer when employed is on a ship. This restricts access to communications and in an ever changing, highly digitalised world, the necessity to have regular reliable access to the internet is fundamental and more so to the younger generation who have grown up with levels of social connectivity. This has been noted within our research as one of the key points along with wage, when young people look at careers at sea. For all seafarers it could be managing any personal digitalised training (in and out of work hours), being able to communicate to manage financial affairs or personal emergencies.
3	Standard A3.2.2(b) - Food and catering	To strengthen requirements for balance, nutritious and varied diet. The addition of the wording ‘balanced’ requires that seafarers have access not only to adequate, varied and nutritious meals, but also to a balanced diet, which in the UK is interpreted as a mixed diet of carbohydrates, protein, fat, fibre, vitamins and minerals.	The health and wellbeing of any seafarer will impact their work and therefore the safety of the ship. Having the option to choose meals is important for many health reasons. There is awareness for the provision of food due to allergies and health and fitness but the aim of this amendment is to specify ‘balanced’. To promote national guidance into regulation, to ensure healthier options are available for those working on ships as equally as those working ashore.
4	Appendices A2.1 & A4.1 - Evidence of financial security	Clarify that financial security for MLC may be in name of registered owner (if different from shipowner for MLC purposes). This amendment will require that the certificate of financial security lists both the name of the shipowner, or of the registered owner if difference from the shipowner.	The purpose of this amendment is to clarify who is financially responsible and reflects the reality of who holds the financial security for the ship. This is important to be established during surveys and inspections or audits. To address directly to who is accountable to meet financial costs associated with deficiencies, processes and procedures.

2. MLC 2006, Amendments 2022 requiring UK legislative change: