A crew member aboard a 500GT+ commercial yacht wishes to raise a complaint about working conditions but is concerned about reprisal from senior officers or the management company. What does MLC 2006 require to exist for exactly this situation?

A. No complaint mechanism is required or expected under MLC 2006; crew concerns are a purely internal management matter

B. Complaints may only be raised at the end of a contract, never while still serving aboard

C. An onboard complaint procedure that allows the crew member to raise the issue (including, where appropriate, directly to the Master or, if unresolved, externally to the flag state or a relevant authority) without fear of reprisal — MLC explicitly protects against victimisation for a good-faith complaint

D. The Master may discipline a crew member simply for raising a complaint, provided it is done discreetly

A. 3000GT — below this, no safety management framework of any kind applies

B. 500GT — above this threshold a commercially registered yacht on international voyages must comply with the full ISM Code, requiring a Document of Compliance (DOC) for the management company and a Safety Management Certificate (SMC) for the vessel

C. ISM applies only to yachts over 24 metres in length, regardless of tonnage

D. ISM never applies to yachts of any size, regardless of tonnage or trading pattern

A. Full ISM brings external audit cycles (internal audits, external Flag State/RO audits, non-conformity tracking and close-out), a formally documented Safety Management System with defined procedures across all departments, and a shore-based Designated Person Ashore (DPA) the Master must have direct access to at any time

B. There is no practical difference whatsoever between the two regimes in day-to-day operation

C. ISM only applies to paperwork submitted once a year, with no ongoing operational impact

D. Full ISM removes the Master's decision-making authority entirely, transferring it to the management company