Seafarers Rights

Source: Marine Insight - "Criminalization of seafarers is a concept. It is not only applied to cases of “high profile cases” upon a maritime accident/incident but has a wider scope in day to day working of a seafarer too. The seafarers are at times denied the basic rights and treated unfairly in different scenarios.

Source: ILO - "1. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has created a global crisis which has impacted all aspects of life and badly affected the world of work. In the maritime sector, it has severely disrupted the functioning of shipping and affected the work of nearly 2 million seafarers worldwide.

Source: ILO - "ILO welcomes COVID-19 seafarers’ rights agreement he International Labour Organization has expressed support for new international measures to protect the rights of seafarers, stranded at sea because of the COVID-19 crisis .

Source: ITF - "Following the spread of Covid-19, restrictions, safety measures and procedures are now in effect in ports across the world.

Click on the map below to view current information and the contact details for our inspectors.

For information on managing Covid-19 outbreaks on board please refer to WHO guidance."

On March 6, 2017, the President of the United States signed a new Executive Order that restricts citizens of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen from entering the United States.  The restrictions will start on March 16, 2017 and will last for 90 days. 

With MLC, 2006 in force, one might hope to see a reduction in the number of seafarers without visas; yet, recent data collected by SCI shows that not only are shipowners failing to pay for crewmember visas as required by the Convention but also flag states are failing to enforce the requirement.