MLC Certified Yacht Crew Agency

Is fully compliant with the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (MLC).

What is the MLC?

 France ratified the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 on 28th February 2013. The MLC is an important convention that harmonizes labour standards for seafarers across ratified flag states. One of the key purposes of the MLC is to protect seafarers and to ensure they understand their rights.

Recruitment and Placement Regulations.

In addition, France has also introduced regulations to ensure that recruitment and placement agencies comply with the set standards for the recruitment and placement of seafarers on ships to which the MLC applies. The 2014 Regulations list a number of offences that agencies may be guilty of if they fail to meet the standards of the MLC.

General Scope of the MLC:

• Minimum requirements for seafarers to work on a ship.
• Conditions of employment.
• Accommodation, recreational facilities, food and catering.
• Health and protection, medical care, welfare and social security protection.
• Compliance and enforcement.

Minimum requirement for seafarers to work on a ship

Regulation 1.4 of the MLC provides standards for the operation of recruitment and placement agencies in the maritime industry. The purpose of Reg 1.4 is:

• All seafarers shall have access to an efficient and accountable system for finding employment on board a ship without charge to the seafarer;
• Seafarer recruitment and placement services operating in signatory member’s territory shall conform to the standards set out in the MLC;
• Each member shall ensure that in respect of seafarers who work on ships that fly its flag, that ship-owners who use seafarer recruitment and placement services that are based in countries or territories in which the MLC does not apply, nevertheless will ensure that those services conform to the requirements set out in the MLC.

What does that mean for the Yacht?

Searchlight Crew Agency- Tara Bromhead is voluntarily compliant with the terms of Reg 1.4 of the MLC and as such we have enforced several points to ensure a yacht’s compliancy also.

We require the yacht to provide us with:

• The yacht’s MLC Certificate.
• Confirmation that, where possible, the terms of your contract will be given to you prior to embarkation.
• Confirmation that the Seafarers Employment Agreement (SEA) given to you will include information that the ship-owner has the means to protect a seafarer from being stranded in a foreign port.

Searchlight Crew maintains up-to-date lists of the ships for which they provide seafarers in order to ensure that there is a means by which the services can be contacted in an emergency at all hours.

What does that mean for crew?

Searchlight Crew Agency:

• Interviews each candidate who registers with our agency with the same care and attention, regardless of their age, gender, sexuality, race, religious or philosophical beliefs, age or disability.
• Keep an up-to-date and confidential database of all seafarers placed by ourselves.
• Conduct confidential reference checks.
• Verify the validation and authenticity of all certification and licenses.
• Will not charge seafarers for our services.
• Will not operate a black list or the like to prevent or deter seafarers gaining employment.
• Will not recruit any seafarers under the age of 18

Required documents 

• Valid medical certificate e.g ENG1 (within the last two years)
• Passport (Copy)
• The 5 basic STCW module certificate’s
• Qualifications/Certificates – All Licenses & Certificates CoCs
• CV and references
• Your SEA. It is advised under the MLC that you have sight of your SEA prior to embarking the yacht.

Data storage and protection

• Your documents, including CVs, qualifications certificates and references, will be stored on our private secure database that can only be accessed by us.
• Every time you send us updated information we will update your file.
• Your CV will be used to put you forward for jobs. However your contact information will be held until the time the client/ captain wishes to contact you. Searchlight Crew will inform you prior. 
• At all other times it will be kept confidential and we will not pass on your data to a third party without your permission.
• For more information, see our Privacy Policy at the bottom of the page.

Complaints

Searchlight Crew will examine and respond to all complaints made concerning its activities. We will advise the relevant competent authority of any unresolved complaints as and when they arise.