Seafarers have won the right to mandatory internet access while at sea, under an update to the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (MLC) agreed in May. What this will mean in practice will not become clear any time soon; shipowners are under no obligation to provide the service for free and coverage will vary according to location and business priority.
What is in no doubt is that shipowners will have to increase their investment in cyber security and training, now that seafarers can – at least in theory – demand access to the internet using personal devices and ships’ equipment.
