A new study of seafarers has found that almost a third (31%) have been asked to pay a recruitment fee to secure a job onboard a vessel.

Study findings by the Institute for Human Rights and Business (IHRB) and maritime recruitment platform TURTLE mirror those from 2023, showing that charging recruitment fees – illegal under the Maritime Labour Convention – continues to be widespread and endemic. This year TURTLE and IHRB carried out further research focussing on recruitment fees specifically, to get more insight into levels of debt, and mental health implications. Of more than 2,600 seafarers who responded to the 2024 survey, nearly half of those charged fees paid between $500 and $5,000, with some seafarers reporting being charged more than $10,000.

“What I experienced is giving money under the table to give me a rotation/or contract by the fleet manager of the manning agency. If we don’t give them, I need to wait for a long time for my next ship assignment,” a fitter from the Philippines said. The resulting levels of debt push many seafarers towards modern slavery conditions and are linked to unsafe conditions aboard ships, according to researchers. .

“Recruitment fees are creating a ‘pay to play’ model, which prioritises fee-paying recruits instead of the most qualified.”This year’s survey also included findings on the mental health impacts of recruitment fees, with almost three quarters of seafarers saying recruitment fee requests impacted their mental health. “As a seafarer we already have lots of difficulties in our life. We have difficulties completing our cadetship and clearing the mate exams with the salary we get as a cadet. The financial difficulties and the burden to take care of our loved ones makes it emotionally more difficult than any other,” a deck cadet from India said.

The research found that 74% of those asked to pay a fee did so, in part due to a lack of awareness. Some 80% of seafarers who were asked to pay illegal recruitment fees did not report the incidents to authorities, with many unaware that this practice is illegal.Seafarers need to know how and where to report such practices, such as port or flag state authorities, employer, crewing agency and unions. There needs to be a direct link between shipping companies and seafarers so that seafarers have a safe gateway to their employers, the report stressed.

Francesca Fairbairn, who leads IHRB’s work on shipping and commodities, said: “Recruitment fees are an injustice that no worker should face, least of all seafarers who keep goods moving around the world, often in challenging conditions. And yet, our research shows these illegal fees are endemic in shipping – and not only endemic but often exorbitant. What’s more, the financial stress they endure can lead to unsafe working conditions on board ships. Seafarers deserve better. “Part of the problem is lack of awareness among shipping companies and cargo owners that workers pay such fees – they must ensure seafarers aboard vessels they are associated with are not victims of illegal recruitment fees,” she noted

Isabelle Rickmers, the CEO and founder of TURTLE, added: “The fact that one in three seafarers are affected, regardless of rank and nationality, is deeply concerning. We simply can no longer ignore this when we aim to move towards clean supply chains. This illegal practice prevents future talent from entering the industry – and this concerns us all

Source : Splash 247. / Adis Ajdin