Seafarer Employment Contract (Ireland)

A Seafarer Employment Contract in Ireland sets the job duties, pay, hours, leave, and notice terms that bind employer and employee, with its requirements set by the Employment Equality Acts 1998-2015.

The MLC 2006 was adopted by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in February 2006 and entered into force on 20 August 2013, following ratification by a sufficient number of countries representing a majority of the world's gross tonnage. The Convention is widely regarded as the 'fourth pillar' of international maritime law, complementing the SOLAS, STCW, and MARPOL conventions, and establishes thorough minimum standards for the working and living conditions of the world's approximately 1.9 million seafarers.

Ireland ratified the MLC 2006 and implemented its requirements through a series of statutory instruments made under the Merchant Shipping Act 1992 (No. 2 of 1992). The most important of these instruments for seafarer employment agreements is the Merchant Shipping (Maritime Labour Convention) (Seafarer Employment Agreement and Wages) Regulations 2014 (S.I. No. 373 of 2014), which prescribes the minimum mandatory content of a SEA for seafarers employed on Irish-flagged vessels, the requirements for payment of wages, and related protections. These Regulations were amended by the Merchant Shipping (Maritime Labour Convention) (Seafarer Employment Agreement and Wages) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. No. 372 of 2025), reflecting the 2022 amendments to the MLC 2006.

The Irish Maritime Administration (IMA), which is part of the Department of Transport, is the flag state authority responsible for confirming compliance with the MLC 2006 on Irish-flagged vessels. Port state control officers in Irish ports — and in ports worldwide — are empowered to inspect vessels to verify compliance with the MLC 2006, including inspection of the Maritime Labour Certificate, the Declaration of Maritime Labour Compliance (DMLC), and the SEAs of seafarers on board. Vessels found to have deficiencies in their SEAs or other MLC 2006 documentation may be detained until the deficiencies are rectified.

Seafarer employment in Ireland is also subject to general employment legislation, including the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997 (subject to sector-specific modifications), the Payment of Wages Act 1991, the Terms of Employment (Information) Act 1994, the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, and the equality legislation under the Employment Equality Acts 1998 to 2015.

An Irish Seafarer Employment Contract (SEA) is required whenever a seafarer is employed on board a commercial vessel operating under the Irish flag, or where Irish employment law applies to the seafarer's engagement.

Under the MLC 2006, an SEA is mandatory for all seafarers working on commercial vessels of 500 gross tonnes or more engaged in international voyages, and for commercial vessels engaged in domestic voyages of 500 gross tonnes or more. However, Irish implementing regulations extend similar protections more broadly, and established standards is to use a written SEA for all commercial maritime employment regardless of vessel size or trading area.

An SEA is required for all categories of seafarers on Irish-flagged commercial vessels, including: masters and deck officers; engineers and electro-technical officers; ratings (able seafarers, ordinary seafarers, engine ratings); catering and hotel staff on board passenger vessels; and any other persons employed or engaged in any capacity on board a vessel whose normal place of work is a vessel. The MLC 2006 contains a limited exemption for traditional vessels (such as wooden-hulled traditional vessels), certain fishing vessels (which are covered by the ILO Work in Fishing Convention, 2007 (C188) and separate Irish regulations), and vessels navigating in inland waters or short coastal voyages on certain conditions.

In the fishing industry, the Work in Fishing Convention 2007 (C188) — rather than the MLC 2006 — governs the employment of fishers on fishing vessels. Ireland has been working towards ratification of C188, and Irish fishing vessel employment agreements are subject to the Sea-Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act 2006 and related regulations. A separate fishing vessel employment agreement is appropriate for fishers.

Shipowners and ship managers operating Irish-flagged vessels should confirm that compliant SEAs are in place for all seafarers before the vessel departs on any voyage, and that the Maritime Labour Certificate and DMLC are current and carried on board. Compliance with the MLC 2006 is a condition of port entry in all MLC-ratifying states worldwide.

A thorough Irish Seafarer Employment Agreement must include the following elements as required by Standard A2.1 of the MLC 2006 and the Merchant Shipping (Maritime Labour Convention) (Seafarer Employment Agreement and Wages) Regulations 2014 (S.I. No. 373 of 2014).

Parties: the full name, date of birth, and place of birth of the seafarer; the seafarer's seaman's book or discharge book number (issued under the Merchant Shipping Act); and the full name, address, and IMO company number of the shipowner or ship manager.

Vessel details: name of the vessel, IMO number, flag state, and port of registry.

Position and duties: the seafarer's rank, title, and job description on board, consistent with the vessel's STCW manning certificate.

Commencement date and duration: date of commencement of the SEA and either a specified term (for fixed-term agreements) or provision for indefinite duration. The SEA must specify the conditions under which either party may terminate the agreement, including required notice periods.

Wages: the seafarer's basic monthly wage (stated in the relevant currency), the basis for calculation of overtime (at a rate not less than 1.25 times the basic hourly rate under MLC 2006 Standard A2.2), allotment arrangements (if any), and the frequency and method of payment.

Paid annual leave: the entitlement to paid annual leave, calculated at a minimum of 2.5 calendar days per month of employment under MLC 2006 Standard A2.4.

Repatriation: the conditions for repatriation at the shipowner's expense, including the specified destinations and means of transport.

Health protection and social security: reference to the health and medical care provisions on board, repatriation for medical reasons, and the social security protection provided (including sickness, injury, and death benefits).

Reference to collective bargaining agreement (if applicable): where the seafarer's employment is covered by a CBA (for example, an ITF-approved CBA), reference must be made to that agreement and a copy must be available on board.

Hours of work and rest: reference to the applicable hours of work and rest regime under the Merchant Shipping (Maritime Labour Convention) (Hours of Work) Regulations 2014 (S.I. No. 376 of 2014), which implement MLC 2006 Standard A2.3 (maximum 14 hours work in any 24-hour period and 72 hours in any 7-day period; or minimum 10 hours rest in any 24-hour period and 77 hours in any 7-day period).

Governing law and dispute resolution: The SEA should specify Irish law as the governing law and the jurisdiction of the Irish courts. Employment disputes between seafarers and Irish-registered shipowners may be referred to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) under the Workplace Relations Act 2015 where general employment legislation applies. The Irish Maritime Administration (IMA) within the Department of Transport handles flag state regulatory matters, and disputes concerning MLC 2006 compliance may also be raised with port state control authorities in any ratifying state.

Data protection clause: The shipowner, as data controller, must identify a lawful basis under GDPR Article 6 for processing the seafarer's personal data — including STCW certificate details, medical fitness certificates (STCW Regulation I/9), and bank account information. Health data processed for medical fitness purposes constitutes special category data under GDPR Article 9 and requires an additional lawful basis. The Data Protection Commission (DPC) supervises GDPR compliance in Ireland under the Data Protection Act 2018. The SEA should refer to the shipowner's privacy notice and confirm the seafarer's rights of access and rectification under GDPR Articles 15 and 16.

Collective bargaining agreement (CBA) reference: Where the seafarer's employment is covered by an ITF-approved CBA or a collective agreement negotiated through SIPTU (Services, Industrial, Professional and Technical Union) or another recognised trade union, the SEA must reference that agreement and confirm that a copy is available on board in accordance with Standard A2.1.5 of the MLC 2006.

Repatriation insurance and financial security: From 18 January 2017, Regulation 2.5.2 of the MLC 2006 (as amended) requires shipowners to provide financial security for repatriation and seafarer abandonment. Irish-flagged vessels must carry certificates of financial security issued by the Central Bank of Ireland-regulated insurer or P&I club confirming coverage of repatriation costs and outstanding wages of up to four months in cases of abandonment.

The forms-legal.com Seafarer Employment Contract (Ireland) template covers the mandatory elements under Standard A2.1 of the MLC 2006, the Merchant Shipping (Maritime Labour Convention) (Seafarer Employment Agreement and Wages) Regulations 2014 (S.I. No. 373 of 2014) as amended by S.I. No. 372 of 2025, and the Merchant Shipping Act 1992.