Who is a Seafarer?

The Maritime Labour Convention defines a seafarer as any person who is employed or engaged or works in any capacity on board a ship.

The welfare of Seafarers is an age-long overlooked/under-discussed and overtly-ignored agenda in world maritime history. This level of non-concern for seafarers is very prevalent and predominant in developing Maritime nations. The rights of seafarers are daily being trampled under the feet of stakeholders and key players in the maritime industry the world over. It is however pathetic to note that noble gentlemen and ladies who sacrifice several months of their lives at sea, relationships, sometimes marriages and homes and even lives to ensure that goods and services circulate around the world and 90% of world trade is carried are the least cared for, loved and appreciated by the society they pay these sacrifices to.

The International Labour Organization came up with a convention dealing specifically with rights and responsibilities of marine workforce. The Maritime Labour Convention was thus introduced in 2006. The aim of this convention is to provide a set of basic rights that all seafarers must be provided, no conditions applied.