2025 AMSA MLC Annual Report highlighting complaints, welfare and PSC enforcement trends

July 5 ------ The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has published its 2025 Maritime Labor Convention (MLC) Annual Report, providing an overview of labor-related compliance, complaint investigations, welfare initiatives and enforcement activities undertaken throughout the year.

The report analyses Maritime Labor Convention (MLC) implementation in Australian waters and presents data covering the period 2021–2025, including complaint trends, Port State Control (PSC) and Flag State Control (FSC) activities, serious injuries, fatalities, enforcement actions and case studies. According to AMSA, the report’s findings will contribute to the development of its 2026–2027 National Compliance Plan, supporting future compliance priorities and inspection activities.

Complaint trends

During 2025, AMSA received 169 Maritime Labor Convention complaints, a slight decrease from the 173 complaints recorded in 2024 and continuing the gradual decline from the COVID-19 peak experienced in 2020.

Since the Convention entered into force in August 2013, AMSA has received and processed 2,271 MLC complaints.

The report notes that most complaints continue to originate directly from seafarers, demonstrating increasing awareness of their rights under the Maritime Labor Convention and confidence in Australia’s complaint handling process.

In 2025

– AMSA received 169 complaints; a 2.31% decrease from 2024

– 102 complaints were lodged directly by seafarers

– 58.58% of complaints involved bulk carriers

– hours of work and rest was the most common employment related complaint issue

– 1,185 MLC related deficiencies were found during port state control inspections

– 12 vessels were detained for serious breaches of MLC requirements

Conditions of employment remain the dominant complaint category

As in previous years, Title 2 – Conditions of Employment accounted for the largest proportion of complaints received.

Among these, the most frequently reported issues were:

• Hours of work and hours of rest (30.3%)

• Wages (24.8%)

• Seafarers’ Employment Agreements (24.2%)

• Repatriation (13.9%)

• Leave entitlement (5.5%)

• Crewing levels (1.2%)

The report notes that complaints relating to hours of work and rest increased during 2025 compared with the previous year.

Bulk carriers generated the highest number of complaints

Bulk carriers accounted for 99 complaints, representing almost 59% of all complaints received during 2025.

When complaint numbers are normalized against vessel arrivals, container ships, oil tankers and general cargo vessels recorded comparatively higher complaint rates relative to fleet size.

The report also analyses complaints by Australian state, vessel type and flag State, identifying Liberia, Panama and the Marshall Islands as the flags accounting for the highest number of complaints, while Isle of Man, Bahamas, Greece and Liberia recorded the highest complaint rates relative to vessel arrivals.

Inspection findings

The report confirms that AMSA carried out:

• 2,769 initial Port State Control inspections

• 79 Flag State Control inspections on Australian vessels

These inspections resulted in:

• 1,185 MLC-related PSC deficiencies

• 39 MLC deficiencies issued during Flag State Control inspections

• 12 foreign-flagged vessel detentions involving Maritime Labor Convention deficiencies

• Interestingly, while complaints were primarily associated with Title 2 – Conditions of Employment, inspection deficiencies were predominantly recorded under Title 4 – Health Protection, Medical Care, Welfare and Social Security Protection, followed by accommodation and food-related deficiencies under Title 3.

Enforcement actions

AMSA notes that complaint investigations undertaken during 2025 resulted in:

• 39 vessels issued with MLC deficiencies

• Five vessels detained following complaint investigations

• Approximately 20% of complaints being referred to the relevant Flag State

• Nearly one-third of complaints being resolved following investigation

• The report also highlights Australia’s continued policy of refusing port access to vessels demonstrating systemic Maritime Labor Convention non-compliance. Since 2018, 14 vessels have been banned from Australian ports for serious MLC breaches, although no new bans were issued during 2025.

Case studies

The report includes several enforcement case studies involving:

• Underpayment of wages and unauthorized deductions by crewing agents

• Excessive workload and insufficient hours of rest

• Lack of wage documentation and cash advances

• Inadequate food provisions and repeat deficiencies

• Corrective actions leading to deficiencies, detentions and ISM-related findings

The published examples demonstrate how complaints can lead to detailed investigations and subsequent Port State Control action.

Serious injuries and fatalities

AMSA reports that 45 serious seafarer injuries were recorded during 2025, while seven fatalities were reported, all attributed to illness or disease. No operational-related fatalities were reported during the year.

The report also provides a five-year overview of injury and fatality trends involving both foreign-flagged vessels operating in Australian waters and Australian-flagged vessels.

Focus on seafarer welfare

Beyond compliance activities, the report outlines AMSA’s continued support for seafarer welfare through the Australian Seafarers’ Welfare Council (ASWC), national Port Welfare Committees and collaboration with organizations such as the Mission to Seafarers.

The publication also highlights recent International Labor Organization amendments to the Maritime Labor Convention covering prevention of violence and harassment, strengthened repatriation rights and improvements to medical care provisions.

Source: safety4sea.com