Seafarers often fear ‘blacklisting’ by shipping companies if they refuse an employer request to extend their contract. Repeated extension of contracts in the context of power imbalances, restrictions on freedom of movement and impaired freedom to consent can be a direct indication of forced labour
Recruitment and retention challenges in maritime shipping pose significant risks to both seafarers and global supply chains. The industry is facing a growing shortage of qualified personnel, particularly officers.
These shortages are in reality shortages of decent work, driven by structural issues
Access to shore leave is a fundamental right under the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) and is essential for safeguarding seafarers’ health, wellbeing and dignity. However, in practice, seafarers frequently face restrictions on shore leave due to commercial pressures, port security requirements
Seafarers not only work but also live on board ships. Sometimes they do not receive basic necessities for decent living conditions and health and wellbeing, including regular and nutritious meals, drinking water, heating/cooling equipment, light, electricity, or internet to communicate with their
It is a requirement under the Maritime Labour Convention for shipping companies to repatriate seafarers at the end of their contract however, some companies are unwilling to do this and instead expect the seafarer to fund their own repatriations.
The absence of repatriation offered by shipping
Despite international minimum wages being set relatively very low, shipowners or operators consistently attempt to underpay or withhold pay from seafarers for work already done – income that seafarers’ families at home rely on.
Under ITF Agreements, ITF inspectors located in ports around the globe
Fatigue and exhaustion are major risks associated with life at sea, especially as owner-operators circumvent minimum safe manning standards, overwork crew beyond maximum overtime levels, and rely on exploitative working conditions.
Under the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), limits are established
Seafarers work in environments directly exposed to the impacts of climate and weather, making extreme temperatures and climate-related risks a growing concern. High temperatures in engine rooms or enclosed workspaces – all exacerbated by voyages in tropical regions – can lead to heat stress
Seafarers are routinely exposed to hazardous substances and biological risks as an inherent part of maritime operations. Work on board vesselships involves handling fuels, chemicals, cargo residues, cleaning agents and other potentially harmful substances, often in confined or poorly ventilated
Mental health and psychosocial risks are widespread in maritime shipping and are closely linked to the structural conditions of seafaring:. there is a mental health crisis at sea, marked by concerning rates of depression (25 percent), anxiety (17 percent) and suicidal ideation (20 percent) among
