When something is not right onboard
Safety concerns, unpaid costs and contract disputes can be difficult to raise at sea. Knowing the right route — and keeping clear records — can change the outcome.
If anyone is in immediate danger
Prioritise personal safety and contact the vessel’s emergency chain or local emergency services. Do not wait for a routine complaint process.
How to raise a concern
Use the safest appropriate step. You do not have to manage a serious concern alone.
- 01
Write down the facts
Record dates, locations, what happened, who was present and what action was requested. Keep copies away from the vessel’s devices.
- 02
Use the onboard procedure
Check your Seafarer Employment Agreement, Maritime Labour Certificate and onboard complaint procedure. Raise the issue with your head of department, captain or designated person ashore when safe to do so.
- 03
Get independent support
Contact your union or professional representative early. They can help you understand your contract and frame the concern clearly.
- 04
Escalate to the proper authority
If the issue is unresolved or the onboard route is unsafe, contact the vessel’s Flag State. In port, the relevant Port State authority may also be able to receive an MLC complaint.
- 05
Keep the record complete
Save your contract, payslips, invoices, messages, photos, travel bookings, medical records and every response. Do not alter original files.
Free, confidential support
You do not need to be in crisis to call. These services are independent of us, free to crew and available in multiple languages.
YachtCrewHelp (ISWAN)
A free, confidential, multilingual helpline built specifically for yacht crew, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year — emotional, wellbeing and practical support.
- help@yachtcrewhelp.org
- +44 (0)203 713 7273
- WhatsApp +44 (0)7514 500 153
Sailors' Society 24/7 Helpline
24/7 helpline and Crisis Response Network for seafarers and their families after accidents, abandonment, detention or bereavement.
- crisis@sailors-society.org
- +1 938 222 8181
Nautilus 24/7
Round-the-clock emergency assistance for Nautilus members, including help when you are far from your branch office.
- Members only
- nautilusint.org
The Mission to Seafarers
Port chaplains and seafarer centres worldwide offering a listening ear, practical help ashore and welfare support.
- Port chaplains worldwide
- missiontoseafarers.org
Mental health matters at sea
Isolation, long seasons, poor rest and difficult crew dynamics take a real toll. Asking for support is not a career risk — helplines are confidential and independent of your employer. If you are having thoughts of harming yourself, contact local emergency services or a helpline above immediately.
What the MLC covers
The Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 sets minimum standards for many seafarers, including employment agreements, wages, hours of work and rest, repatriation, medical care and complaint procedures. Regulation 1.4 also addresses recruitment fees: visa costs are to be borne by the shipowner. The exact position still depends on the vessel, its flag, your agreement and the facts.
Read the official MLC textJoin before you need help
Nautilus International provides specialist support to yacht professionals across roles and nationalities. Joining early matters: do not assume a new membership will cover a dispute that already exists.
What membership can give you
- Contract and employment agreement review before you sign
- Industrial and legal support when a dispute develops
- Nautilus 24/7 emergency assistance wherever you are
- A representative who can write to owners, managers and agents on your behalf
- Guidance on certification, hours of rest and repatriation rights
- Collective weight behind issues one crew member cannot fix alone
This is an independent recommendation, not a paid referral. Check current eligibility, fees and terms directly with Nautilus.
A €900 repatriation and visa dispute
Two crew members resigned from the same vessel. One rotational captain agreed that the vessel would cover repatriation and the necessary visas. The other crew member’s costs were paid in full.
I left a week later under the other captain. My transit visa had not been arranged, so I had to cancel flights, courses and accommodation, then organise replacement documents directly with the agent. After I left, the agent invoiced me about €900 because the documents were in my name.
I disputed the invoice, contacted Nautilus as a member and copied the agent and captain into the correspondence. I then submitted a formal complaint to the Cayman Islands Flag State. Flag State said that reasonable visa costs should normally be paid by the shipowner and that legitimate repatriation costs to the agreed destination should also be covered.
The result did not come from an angry message. It came from a written timeline, the contract, invoices, union support and escalation to the vessel’s regulator.
Safety concerns count too
On a separate 50m vessel, concerns about missing fall-arrest equipment and helmets were raised anonymously. Working at height without suitable protective equipment is not a minor inconvenience. Record the hazard, the task, available equipment and who was notified. If raising it onboard feels unsafe or nothing changes, seek independent advice and contact the appropriate Flag State or Port State authority.
Keep this evidence
- Seafarer Employment Agreement and amendments
- Vessel name, IMO number and Flag State
- Dates, times and a factual timeline
- Emails, messages and written responses
- Invoices, payslips and travel receipts
- Photos or records of safety equipment, where lawful and safe
- Names and contact details of witnesses
- A copy of the onboard complaint procedure
Flag State and authorities
The vessel’s flag is normally shown on its registration documents and Maritime Labour Certificate. Use the flag administration’s official website — not an unofficial directory — and confirm the current contact address there before sending anything.
- Cayman Islands (MACI)
cisrky@cishipping.com
- Marshall Islands (IRI)
register-iri.com
- Malta Ship Registry
transport.gov.mt
- Isle of Man Ship Registry
iomshipregistry.com
- UK — MCA
gov.uk/mca
- Find your union (ITF)
itfseafarers.org
Contact details change. Always verify on the registry’s own website.
Share a concern anonymously
Tell us what happened so we can point you to the right route and help other crew understand the patterns. You do not have to give your name.
We do not publish a database of vessels or individuals. Submissions are held privately and used only to support you and to write anonymised, non-identifying guidance. Please do not include names of people — describe roles instead.
General information only, not legal advice. Rights, deadlines and reporting routes vary by flag, location, contract and circumstances. Preserve evidence and obtain qualified advice for your own case.