Center for Seafarers' Rights

SCI's Center for Seafarers' Rights (CSR), a world leader in advocacy for the merchant mariner, provides professional legal services for seafarers around the globe.

SCI’s Center for Seafarers’ Rights administers the world’s only free legal-aid service devoted exclusively to the needs of merchant mariners. On a daily basis, the Institute assists mariners with concerns regarding working conditions, compensation, and rights in various circumstances.

Through education, SCI empowers merchant mariners, global port chaplains, and others with information and training they need on current issues affecting mariners' rights. Attorneys for CSR teach and write materials for chaplains’ schools, seafarers’ ministries, and international conferences.

On a global scale, SCI monitors and works towards legislation to improve mariners' legal protections. Over the years, the Institute has helped pass important laws to ensure safety in the maritime workplace and the fair treatment of mariners. SCI attorneys regularly participate in International Maritime Organization, International Labour Organization, United States Congressional and other countries' legislative deliberations relating to seafarers’ issues.

Bulletins

CSR regularly produces bulletins on topics of interest for mariners worldwide. These cover a wide range of issues mariners may encounter in the course of their work and contain useful information for the international workforce. To read these items, click the titles below.

Is It Safe to Go Fishing?
Who Makes The Rules?
Seafarers' Medical Insurance
Seafarers' Contracts
POEA's Standard Agreement
Medicine and the United Arabs Emirates
Medicine and Drug Laws
IMO White List
Illegal Contracts
Border Controls
Seafarers' Rights to Mental Health Care

Rights Pamphlets

Merchant mariners’ rights are determined by the laws of the country where their ship is registered. The Institute publishes pamphlets on seafarers' rights for the following countries' vessels. Use the links below to view individual documents.

Bahamas
Denmark
Cyprus
Liberia
Malta
Norway
Panama
Republic of the Philippines
St. Vincent and Grenadines

Get Help

Contact us by email using the following link. If you need help or advice, please briefly describe the problem and include important details such as your location, ship’s name and ship’s country of registry.

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Year of the Seafarer

The specialized United Nations agency charged with developing international standards regulating maritime safety, marine environment, security, and the efficiency of shipping, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), has declared 2010 the “Year of the Seafarer,” recognizing the significant contributions seafarers make to the world and the vital part they play in the facilitation of global trade. The Seamen’s Church Institute (SCI) supports the IMO in its proclamation of seafarers’ important role, acknowledging the great adversities and sacrifices they face. SCI joins the IMO in declaring our appreciation for the work of seafarers around the world.    “Seafarers deserve respect and recognition: let us resolve, during 2010, to ensure that this message is trumpeted loud and clear.”    —   IMO Secretary-General Efthimios E. Mitropoulos To find out more about the IMO’s “Year of the Seafarer” and the 2010 events, click here.