NUSPM

NUSPM

A Seafarer Employment Agreement (SEA) is not paperwork to rush through at the airport. It sets the terms you may rely on for months. You should have enough time to read it, understand it and obtain advice before signing.

Confirm the identity of everyone involved

The agreement should clearly identify you, the shipowner or employer, the vessel where applicable, and the place and date of signing. Match names against the job offer and recruitment records. Ask why if the employer named in the SEA differs from the company that interviewed you.

Check the money

Confirm:

• basic wage, currency and payment frequency;
• guaranteed and additional overtime rates;
• normal hours and how overtime is recorded;
• leave pay and any allowances;
• lawful deductions and remittance or allotment arrangements;
• the account into which wages will be paid.

Do not accept blank fields or verbal promises that contradict the document.

Check duration and the route home

Read the start date, expected duration, notice periods and termination conditions. Find the repatriation terms: when you are entitled to return home, the destination, who arranges travel and which costs are covered. Look for treatment of illness, injury, ship loss, sale or abandonment.

Find the CBA

If the SEA refers to a collective bargaining agreement, obtain the correct current CBA before signing. Note the signatory union, covered vessel, wage scale and grievance route. A reference to a document you have never seen is not enough for informed agreement.

Red flags

• pressure to sign immediately;
• blank or altered pages;
• different wage figures across documents;
• payment demanded for obtaining the job;
• no right to keep a signed copy;
• unclear employer, vessel or repatriation terms;
• promises made only through disappearing chat messages.

Your copy-and-record routine

Photograph or scan the complete signed SEA, attachments and CBA. Save the original file rather than only screenshots. Record the recruiter’s registered details, payment receipts, vessel name, flag and IMO number. Give a secure copy to a trusted person ashore.

Read ITF guidance on rights under the MLC, the official ILO MLC text, and Malaysia’s DMLC guidance. Ask NUSPM for guidance if a term is unclear.

Before-signing checklist

• All names and vessel details match.
• Wages, overtime, leave and deductions are clear.
• Contract length and termination terms are clear.
• Repatriation terms are stated.
• I received the referenced CBA.
• No blank pages or fields remain.
• I have a complete signed copy.

A collective bargaining agreement (CBA) is negotiated between a union and an employer or employer group. It can set wages and working conditions beyond the individual SEA. An ITF-approved agreement is part of an international system of agreements and inspections, but coverage must be checked for the specific vessel and period.

What a CBA may cover

Depending on the agreement, it may address wage scales, overtime, leave, contract duration, repatriation, compensation, welfare contributions and complaint or dispute routes. The CBA and SEA should be read together. If they appear inconsistent, seek union advice instead of guessing which line controls.

Confirm the correct agreement

Ask for the complete current document, not a photograph of one page. Check:

• vessel name and IMO number;
• effective dates;
• employer and signatory union;
• ranks or crew covered;
• wage scale and amendments;
• contact details for representation.

An ITF logo on a noticeboard does not by itself establish current coverage.

Know who represents you

Identify the signatory union and onboard representative, if any. Keep contact details off the ship. NUSPM can help Malaysian seafarers understand where to direct a question, while ITF resources explain the wider agreement framework.

Keep the paper trail

Save the SEA, CBA, wage scale, amendments, pay statements and correspondence. Record the version and date you received. When asking a question, identify the exact clause and explain what occurred factually.

Read ITF Agreements for the agreement system and ITF Wages for wage guidance.

Agreement checklist

• Vessel and IMO number match.
• Agreement is within its effective dates.
• My rank or role is covered.
• Wage scale matches my statement.
• I know the signatory union and contact route.
• I saved the entire agreement and amendments.