Under the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (‘MLC’):
- A seafarer cannot work on a ship unless he holds a valid medical certificate stating that he is medically fit to perform the duties he is to carry out at sea.
- A country that has ratified the MLC must set out the medical examination and certificate that is needed. The certificate must:
- Be in English if the ship does international voyages;
- Be issued by a duly qualified medical practitioner. (Each country will decide who is qualified for this purpose, but practitioners must have professional independence); and
- Be valid.
- Unless a shorter period is required, the maximum period of validity for a certificate is:
- Two years except for seafarers under 18; then it is one year
- Six years for a colour vision certificate.
- If a certificate is refused, or limited, a seafarer can have a further examination by another independent medical practitioner, or by an independent medical referee.
- There is a procedure for urgent cases which allows the seafarer to carry on working for a short time with an expired medical certificate.
- A medical certificate issued in accordance with the requirements of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers 1978, as amended, will be acceptablMedical certificate
