It is a new consolidated international labour convention that was adopted by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in February 2006. Existing 39 conventions and 29 recommendations, which were adopted for 80 years, were revised and combined in a single convention to provide the decent working and living conditions of seafarers。
The MLC, 2006 has come into force on 20 August 2013 in 31 countries which had ratified the Convention before and on 20 August 2012. Those countries include Panama, Liberia, Australia, Canada and others. For countries that ratified the Convention after 20 August 2012 or have still to ratify, it comes into force 12 months after the date of ratification. (e.g. 22 January 2014 in Malta / 20 August 2014 in Malaysia)
