#2026/598UK updates seafarer protection documents and recruitment information duties
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This regulation makes targeted updates to UK maritime labour rules. Shipowner security and abandonment security documents must now identify the shipowner, or the registered owner if that is different, rather than only referring to the ship owner. Recruitment agencies and employment businesses that place seafarers on sea-going ships must tell workers about the protection rights available to them before or during engagement. Failing to provide that information becomes an offence. The change mainly affects maritime employers, shipowners, registered owners, and seafarer recruitment agencies.
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Key Changes
- Updates shipowner security documents to refer to the shipowner or registered owner where different.
- Updates abandonment security documents in the same way.
- Requires seafarer recruitment agencies and employment businesses to inform workers about protection rights before or during engagement, with non-compliance treated as an offence.
Obligations
What this law requires
A shipowner’s security document must identify the shipowner, or the registered owner if different from the shipowner, rather than referring only to the owner of the ship.
An abandonment security document must identify the shipowner, or the registered owner if different from the shipowner, rather than referring only to the owner of the ship.
An employment agency or employment business introducing or supplying a work-seeker to a hirer for employment as a seafarer on a sea-going ship must inform the work-seeker of the rights available under the financial protection system established under regulation 6.
Employment agencies and employment businesses that fail to inform seafarer work-seekers of their rights under the required protection system commit an offence.