IMO takes steps to uphold seafarers’ rights

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has adopted new guidelines set to protect seafarers from unfair treatment when detained in foreign jurisdictions in connection with alleged crimes committed at sea.

The guidelines were adopted by the Legal Committee during its meeting in London, UK, from March 24 – 28, and reportedly, aim to protect seafarers’ rights and ensure they are treated with fairness and dignity, no matter where they are in the world.

As disclosed, key aspects of the guidelines relate to due process, protection from arbitrary detention, coercion or intimidation and ensuring that wages, medical care and repatriation rights remain intact during any legal proceedings.

It is understood that the guidelines aim to improve coordination among countries, including port states, flag states, coastal states, states of which the seafarer is a national, shipowners, as well as seafarers.

The text was developed and first adopted in December 2024 by a Joint Tripartite Working Group with the International Labour Organization (ILO), which includes representation from governments, shipowners and seafarers.

IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez commented: “Unfortunately, incidents of unjust treatment of seafarers are on the rise, posing a significant challenge to the sustainability of shipping. These cases not only undermine seafarers’ morale but also discourage young talent from pursuing a career at sea.”

Dominguez said the guidelines “will add a significant value in resolving the challenges faced by seafarers and ensure that seafarers are treated fairly.”

It is worth mentioning that the Legal Committee called for action to tackle the rise in seafarer abandonment cases, urging member states to report these kinds of cases occurring in their ports or involving their flagged vessels and nationals, as well as improve the accuracy of these reports.

The states were urged to update national contact points for handling cases, implement existing guidelines on how to deal with seafarer abandonment cases and raise awareness among seafarers about financial security protections.

In addition to taking action on seafarers’ rights, the Committee approved the proposal to conduct a regulatory scoping exercise to review IMO conventions and other tools available to member states, with the aim of developing actions to prevent unlawful operations, including substandard shipping.

IMO revealed that a correspondence group will be set up to start working on this new output, following approval of its terms of reference by the IMO Council in July 2025.

The Legal Committee will, reportedly, also be working on three other outputs over the coming year, including:

• development of guidelines or best practices for the registration of ships for the benefit of safety, protection of the marine environment and the well-being of seafarers;
• suitability of IMO liability and compensation regimes with respect to alternative fuels; and
• measures to address maritime security threats.

In other news, the IMO sub-committee on Human Element, Training and Watchkeeping (HTW) adopted draft interim generic guidelines for training seafarers working on ships powered by alternative fuels and new technologies. The organization cited the increasing use of sustainable fuels and the associated safety risks as the main drivers of the endeavor.