Factsheet
Before you board
ITF advice on your contract to work at sea, recruitment scams and crewing agents
ITF Seafarers
Seafarers move the world, sustaining our economies and communities – but they routinely face exploitation. The ITF fights for seafarers’ rights.
What can we help you with?
Find out more
Factsheet
ITF agreements
ITF Agreements are only those that are approved by the ITF and only apply to ships flying a Flag of Convenience (FOC)*
Factsheet
Basic rights under ILO
The ILO sets international labour standards through key international agreements.
Factsheet
Your rights under the MLC
The MLC covers all vessels and applies to all seafarers. But you must be at least 16 and have a medical certificate to work on a ship.
Resource
ITF Guide for Seafarers to the ILO Maritime Labour Convention, 2006
The Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC), otherwise known as the Seafarers’ Bill of Rights, incorporates and builds on sixty eight existing maritime labour conventions and recommendations, as well as more general fundamental principles, to ensure decent working and living conditions for all seafarers.
Factsheet
Wages
Your wage rates will depend on whether you are serving on a national flag vessel or a ship covered by an ITF agreement.
Factsheet
Trade unions
Being a member of trade union can mean the difference between getting the medical help you need when you break a bone or suffering for a lifetime without proper treatment.
Factsheet
ITF Warlike and high risk areas
Warlike and High-Risk areas are parts of the world where it is considered that there is a high level of exposure to safety and life risks due to a war, military tension, hostilities, pirate activity and other circumstances causing immediate danger to visiting vessels and their crews.
Factsheet
Non-payment of wages
Unpaid wages are the most common complaint which the ITF receives from seafarers
Explore
YOUR RIGHTS
As a seafarer you have rights - employment rights, legal rights, trade union rights and human rights. Ensure you know your rights and what to do when things go wrong.
WOMEN AT SEA
Women have proven that working at sea can be a positive and rewarding career. Find out more about women-centred sources of support and information
MANNING AGENTS
Let us guide you through the recruitment process. Advice on finding an agent, avoiding scams and ensuring you have the right contract.
HEALTH & WELLBEING
Stay healthy and happy at sea. Learn about wellbeing illness and disease.
Find the nearest welfare centre to your port.
DIRECTORIES
Indexing those who violate the fair treatment of seafarers.
ABANDONMENT LIST
Every year, the ITF and its affiliates deal with a number of cases of ‘abandonment’, where a shipowner ‘abandons’ their responsibilities for the ship and its crew. View the current reported cases.
CRIMINALISATION LIST
Criminalisation is one of the most serious problems facing seafarers today. When there has been a maritime accident seafarers have often been detained and denied access to normal rules of fair play and justice.
BREACH OF RIGHTS INDEX
Shipowners, ship managers, flag states or other parties, which warrant inclusion on the ITF Seafarers’ Breach of Rights Index.
RED LISTED RECRUITMENT AGENCIES
The ITFShipBeSure website provides advice on finding a manning agent, avoiding recruitment scams and ensuring you have the right contract.
SEAFARERS’ WELFARE CENTRE INDEX
Find out if there is a seafarer centre in the port. Seafarers’ centres can provide advice, someone to talk to, facilities to contact home and a place where you can relax away from the ship.
LATEST MARITIME NEWS
The latest news on the issues affecting us all, and the actions we’re taking to improve our workers' lives and futures.
News
23 January 2025
2024 worst year on record for seafarer abandonment, says ITF
New data from the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) reveals abandonment of seafarers by ship-owners increased by 87% in 2024 from the previous year.
News
22 January 2025
Galaxy Leader crew released after 14 months in captivity
The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) welcomes news of the release of the Galaxy Leader crew, after being held captive for more than a year.
News
20 January 2025
ITF calls on Houthis to halt all attacks in Red Sea, release kidnapped seafarers, warns shipping industry against risking lives
The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) calls on Yemen’s Houthis to halt attacks all on commercial ships in the Red Sea, to de-escalate threats to shipping and rele