Access to shore leave is a fundamental right under the Maritime Labour Convention, and is essential for safeguarding seafarers’ health, wellbeing and dignity. In practice it is frequently restricted due to commercial pressures, port security requirements, visa restrictions and immigration barriers, and operational and administrative constraints. Denial or limitation of shore leave prevents seafarers from accessing rest, medical care, family contact and communication with family and basic services, exacerbating fatigue and mental health risks.
Tight turnaround times and cost-driven scheduling leave ships in port for insufficient time to allow meaningful shore leave. During the Covid-19 pandemic, these risks intensified significantly, with many seafarers confined on board for extended periods without relief.
Restrictions on shore leave connect directly with other human rights risks, in particular repeated extension of contracts, isolation and limited access to grievance mechanisms. Confinement on board can leave seafarers unable to report abuse or seek help. Denial of shore leave is an indicator of wider failures in work organisation, regulatory enforcement and respect for seafarers’ rights.
For more on isolation and lone working and mental health and psychosocial risk, see the Risks Across Transport guidance.