Guidelines on how to deal with seafarer abandonment cases

The present Guidelines are addressed to all States, and primarily to port States, flag States and States of which seafarers are nationals or are resident or are otherwise domiciled in their territory. They are intended to be a reference tool of principles that can be reflected in the design and implementation of policies, strategies, programmes, legislation, administrative measures and social dialogue mechanisms on the resolution of cases of abandonment of seafarers.

The Guidelines draw on: (i) relevant ILO international labour standards, notably the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006, as amended (MLC, 2006), including the relevant amendments adopted by the Special Tripartite Committee of the MLC, 2006, in 2022, and IMO Assembly resolution A.930(22); (ii) relevant IMO international frameworks and agreements; and (iii) relevant trends and developments in regional and national law and practice. They are also consistent with the ILO Guidelines for port State control officers carrying out inspections under the MLC, 2006, as amended, and the ILO Guidelines for flag State inspections under the MLC, 2006, as amended.