(www.MaritimeCyprus.com) The international shipping industry likes to view itself as the invisible engine of the global economy—and for good reason. Around 90% of global trade travels by sea, powered by nearly two million seafarers working around the clock under demanding conditions. Yet, behind the quiet efficiency of global supply chains lies a persistent issue: the systemic breach of basic labour rights, wage theft, and physical risks faced by workers at sea.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority’s (AMSA) Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) Annual Report 2025 provides critical data on the state of seafarer welfare in Australian waters. While direct complaints decreased slightly to 169 in 2025, the broader compliance data points to a growing problem: targeted port state inspections yielded 1,185 MLC deficiencies across foreign-flagged vessels - a sharp increase from 934 in 2024 - leading to the detention of 12 ships.
The Divergence: What Seafarers Report vs. What Inspectors Find
A stark trend emerges when comparing what seafarers report against what maritime safety inspectors discover during port State control (PSC) audits.
Direct Seafarer Complaints: Focus overwhelmingly on Title 2: Conditions of Employment. Over 30% of Title 2 complaints centred on violations regarding hours of work and rest, closely followed by wage underpayment (24.8%) and breach of employment agreements (24.2%).
Port State Control Inspections: Reveal that Title 4: Health Protection, Medical Care, Welfare, and Social Security accounted for the vast majority of deficiencies found (724 deficiencies), followed by poor accommodation and food standards under Title 3 (342 deficiencies).
This contrast highlights an important reality: the onboard complaints process acts as a crucial channel for hidden administrative and financial exploitation—such as wage withholding—that standard safety walkthroughs cannot easily detect. Conversely, physical hazards and inadequate onboard facilities are readily identified during physical inspections.
"This divergence suggests that the MLC complaints mechanism is effective in capturing issues related to working and living conditions—such as wage underpayment—that are not readily observable during inspections." — AMSA MLC Annual Report 2025
Shadow Systems: Fake Records and Forfeited Food
To understand the practical impact on crews, one need only look at the real-world enforcement cases highlighted in AMSA's report:
1. Wage Theft and Falsified Banking Records
In June 2025, AMSA inspectors boarded the Seacon Yokohama following crew complaints of unpaid wages. Official company records indicated full payment, but crew bank statements revealed a different story: a crewing agent was funneling off money through unauthorized deductions, issuing falsified bank documents, and charging illegal recruitment fees. The vessel was immediately detained.
2. basic Rights Denied
In July 2025, an investigation into the Navios Ray uncovered crew members paying out of pocket for basic drinking water, lack of access to cash advances, and unmanageable fatigue due to excessive work hours.
3. Starving the Crew
In September 2025, AMSA responded to a complaint on the HL Midland regarding a lack of fresh produce. Inspecting officers found the ship about to set sail on an ocean voyage without adequate fresh provisions. The Master had canceled food deliveries due to berth logistics. The vessel was issued a deficiency requiring immediate supply delivery before departure, alongside an International Safety Management (ISM) deficiency for repeat non-compliance.
Flag States Under the Spotlight
The report highlights a disproportionate distribution of complaints relative to port arrivals among certain flag States. When normalized against total vessel arrivals in Australia, flag registers such as the Isle of Man (1.1%), Bahamas (0.8%), Greece (0.8%), and Liberia (0.8%) generated higher complaint rates relative to their port arrival frequency.
While global flag registries promise strict regulatory enforcement, these statistics indicate that oversight often lapses once vessels hit international trade routes, leaving port authorities like Australia to step in as the primary line of defense.
The Path Forward: Stronger Joint Enforcement
There are positive developments taking shape. AMSA’s collaborative work with the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) recovered $783,001.54 in stolen wages in 2025 under the Strategic Fleet Pilot Program. Furthermore, 2025 saw a reduction in reported serious seafarer injuries (45, down from 75 in 2024) and zero operational fatalities reported in the Australian Exclusive Economic Zone.
However, regulatory enforcement alone cannot fix structural issues. Maritime operators must recognize that human rights compliance is as fundamental as seaworthiness.
To create lasting change, the industry must focus on three core areas:
Supply Chain Accountability: Charterers and cargo owners should audit the labour practices of their shipping providers, penalizing operators that breach the MLC.
Protection Against Retaliation: Whistleblower protection for seafarers must be rigorously enforced so crews can report abuses without fear of blacklisting.
Transparent Recruitment: Global regulatory bodies must crack down on predatory crewing agencies that charge illegal fees and manipulate bank transfers.
Seafarers keep the global economy moving. It is time the global shipping industry guaranteed them the basic dignity, safety, and pay they earn every day at sea.
For more details, the full MLC 2025 Annual Report can be accessed via below link:
Source: AMSA
