YPI CREW takes the protection of candidates and crew members very seriously, and that’s why we strictly adhere to industry standards, as set out by the ILO's Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (MLC). After successfully complying with the terms of the MLC, we are proud to announce that we have been approved for the Lloyd's register for a third consecutive year. Every year, we voluntarily submit ourselves for audit; staff from the Marseille Lloyd's Register office externally audit YPI CREW to ensure that we maintain a statement of compliance and, once again, we have exceeded standard requirements.

The MLC 2006 came into force in August 2014 and applies to all commercial charter yachts. It has been designed as global legislation that will be the ‘fourth pillar’ of the international regulatory regime for quality shipping, complementing the key Conventions of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The document sets legislation for a range of areas concerning yacht crew jobs, such as contracts, working hours and health insurance for more than 1.2 million of the world's seafarers. By aiming to standardise seafarers’ rights, it also encourages yacht owners to guarantee employees' economic interests in a fair way. The document brings together and consolidates all the international standards enforced in the maritime sectors over the last 80 years.

In addition to being listed with the French government, which is a legal obligation, YPI CREW went one step further and has obtained for the third year running a Statement of Compliance with Lloyds Register. Unfortunately, unlike YPI CREW, some agencies in France are still trading illegally without being registered. Compliance with the MLC is not just a formality, but a legal requirement to ensure agencies have a number of procedures and working practices in place to make the maritime industry safe.

As the world’s truly global industry, it’s appropriate that the shipping sector leads the way in setting international standards. The MLC manual provides the information you need as a crew member; it is also available in Spanish, French and Italian. We are dedicated to maintaining complete compliancy and being up-to-date on legislation at all times. This means keeping a frequently updated and confidential register of all seafarers recruited by us, carrying out reference checks, providing career advice and checking the validity of all professional certificates.

The MLC 2006 also requires that seafarers have a valid medical certificate on file, dated within the last two years, as well as an STCW 95 entered on agency databases before they can be placed for a job. We go further than most, and require Captains to provide us with evidence that they are also MLC compliant or moving towards compliance. We care that our our crews are placed on yachts that take an active interest in promoting the rights and safety of employees.

Recruiting quality applicants and helping them achieve their potential in the yachting industry is what we do best, and ensuring good working conditions is an inherent factor in our work. If you have any questions about the MLC, please contact us to speak to our experienced recruiters.