Under the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (‘MLC’):
- A seafarer has the right to safe and decent accommodation and recreational facilities.
- The MLC sets out detailed and technical requirements concerning matter such as: the size of rooms and other accommodation spaces; heating and ventilation; noise and vibration and other ambient factors; sanitary facilities; lighting; and hospital accommodation.
- A country that has ratified the MLC must inspect ships registered under its flag when the ship is registered or re-registered, or if the seafarer accommodation has been substantially altered, to ensure that seafarers’ accommodation is in accordance with the MLC.
- Frequent inspections of accommodation areas must be carried out by or under the authority of the master and recorded to ensure that the seafarer accommodation is clean, habitable and maintained in a good state of repair. The records must be available for inspections.
See Regulation 3.1 of the MLC.
For more information
See the ILO Frequently Asked Questions (section C5.2) at http://www.ilo.org/global/standards/maritime-labour-convention/what-it-does/faq/WCMS_177371/lang–en/index.htm
July 2014
