‘Beyond the State’: The limits of international regulation and the example of abandoned seafarers

This paper contributes to debates about the effectiveness of international regulation and place ‘the state’ in developing enforcing effective shipping regulation. It focuses on example Maritime Labour Convention (2006) highlight some challenges successes defending rights workers ‘decent work’. The empirical basis is a novel analysis abandonment data which allows for consideration resolution cases pre-and-post-MLC. first time that such objective has been used evaluate efficacy MLC. describes regulatory framework offers protections seafarers circumstances ways internationally agreed regulations at ILO are enforced. analyses MLC, increasing speed with abandoned repatriated. discusses implications findings draws conclusions, relating these broader discussions limits importance