Knowledge base for seafarers
Practical evergreen guides: contracts, rights, money, safety. Write to us if you can't find an answer.
A Seafarer’s Rights When Pay Is Delayed: First Steps
A wage delay should not become “part of the voyage.” A seafarer has the right to timely pay, a clear wage statement, and a fast complaint path without retaliation.
How to Check a Shipowner Before Signing a Contract
It is a short check of the company, documents, and contract before joining the vessel so you do not sign a weak or doubtful agreement. It helps spot risks before you step on board.
P&I Insurance: What It Covers for Crew
A simple guide to what P&I insurance is, which crew-related risks it may cover, and what seafarers should check before joining a vessel.
Pre-employment Medical Examination (PEME): What Seafarers Should Know
Pre-employment Medical Examination (PEME) is the check that shows whether a seafarer is fit for work at sea and whether any condition could worsen during the voyage. It is not a formality; it is a basic safety filter for the person and the crew.
PSC detention: what to do when a ship is detained in port
PSC detention is a temporary hold imposed by a port State when an inspector finds serious deficiencies and the ship cannot sail until they are corrected. Below is a simple action plan for the crew, master, and company.
Repatriation under MLC 2006: who pays for the trip home
Repatriation under MLC 2006 is the seafarer’s right to get home in defined cases, and the shipowner usually pays. If the company delays or disappears, the standards still provide a protection mechanism.
Seafarer Injured on Board: What to Do First
After an injury on board, it is important to get medical care and make sure the accident is officially recorded. The ship’s log entry, accident report and medical conclusions help prove that the injury was connected to work on the vessel.
Seafarers Have the Right to Rest on Board
MLC 2006 sets minimum standards for seafarers’ working conditions, including hours of work and rest. UK guidance on applying these rules requires schedules and hour records on board.
Seafarers should leave a family contact pack before joining
Family contact at sea should be prepared before joining the vessel: relatives should know whom to contact and what details to provide if communication stops.
Seafarers should receive wage accounts monthly
A wage account shows what a seafarer has earned, what was deducted and how much should be paid net. It should be provided regularly, at intervals not exceeding one month.
The collective agreement and seafarer contract before sailing
A seafarer’s contract may be short and refer to a collective agreement. Before signing, it is therefore important to check both the contract and the document that sets out terms on work, rest, pay and repatriation.
UK MLC: Seafarers Must Get 10 Hours of Daily Rest
For UK ships and certain non-UK ships without a maritime labour certificate, a seafarer’s minimum rest is 10 hours in any 24-hour period and 77 hours in any seven-day period. A schedule of rest hours must also be posted on board, and records of actual rest hours must be maintained.