The Merchant Shipping (Maritime Labour Convention and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2025

This instrument amends existing legislation implementing the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) in the UK to include latest set of amendments to the MLC. It also amends a number of others to remove references to government ships.

On 8 June 2022, the latest set of amendments to the MLC was approved by the 110th session of the International Labour Conference of the International Labour Organization. The MLC sets the international minimum standards for seafarers’ living and working conditions on board ships.

When the MLC was originally implemented in UK law in 2014, requirements under EU Directives relating to seafarer living and working conditions were also implemented. Where there were no domestic regulation making powers to do so, powers to make regulations through the European Communities Act 1972 were used.

Consequently, in this instrument, the amendments in relation to government ships in various merchant shipping instruments are being made under powers in the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 (the 2023 Act) to revoke, assimilate law or permit consequential amendments to be made.