The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has taken significant steps to enhance the rights of seafarers and address substandard shipping practices. During its recent Legal Committee meeting in London from March 24 to 28, new guidelines were adopted that focus on ensuring fair treatment of seafarers detained in foreign jurisdictions due to alleged crimes at sea.
These guidelines aim to safeguard seafarers’ rights, ensuring they are treated with dignity and justice, irrespective of their location. IMO Secretary-General Mr. Arsenio Dominguez emphasized the growing issue of unjust treatment of seafarers, which poses a considerable challenge to the sustainability of the shipping industry.
He stated that such incidents not only affect seafarer morale but also deter potential new professionals from pursuing maritime careers. The newly adopted guidelines specifically address due process, protection against arbitrary detention, and the maintenance of wages, medical care, and repatriation rights during legal proceedings.
In response to a concerning spike in cases of seafarer abandonment—where shipowners neglect to repatriate crew members or pay their wages—the Legal Committee called for immediate action. Reports from the IMO/ILO joint database indicate a sharp increase in abandonment cases, with 310 new incidents documented in 2024 alone, more than doubling the previous year’s total.
The Committee urged Member States to enhance their reporting accuracy and to support seafarers by raising awareness about available financial security protections. Furthermore, the Committee highlighted the need to combat substandard shipping practices that pose safety and environmental risks.
To address this, a regulatory scoping exercise is planned to review existing IMO conventions and tools, leading to preventive actions against unlawful operations. The Legal Committee will also focus on developing best practices for ship registration, assessing liability and compensation regimes related to alternative fuels, and enhancing maritime security measures in the upcoming year.
A full summary of these discussions will be provided in due course.