The most critical moment in the process is not the day you join the ship; it is the minute you sign. After that minute, the answer to every dispute becomes “what does the paper say”. So it is worth knowing what you should see before signing.
Two rights you have before signing
MLC 2006 explicitly protects two things before signature: an opportunity to examine the agreement and seek advice on it, and receipt of a signed ORIGINAL. You should not be expected to sign the moment the paper lands on the table, and the only copy should not stay with the other side.
Particulars the agreement must contain
In all cases the agreement must contain:
- Your full name, date of birth or age, and birthplace
- The shipowner's name and address
- The place where and date when the agreement is entered into
- The capacity in which you are to be employed
- Your wages, or the formula used for calculating them
- The amount of paid annual leave, or the formula for calculating it
- Termination conditions, including notice periods
- Health and social security protection benefits provided by the shipowner
- Your entitlement to repatriation
- A reference to the applicable collective bargaining agreement, if any
If one of these is missing, the agreement is incomplete. “It's the standard text, they're all like this” is not an explanation.
Notice periods
Minimum notice periods for early termination must be established, and they shall not be shorter than seven days. The period applies to both sides; a clause that binds only you is not balanced.
Ask these in writing
- Basic wage, currency, and where payment is made
- Whether overtime is included in the wage; if not, how it is calculated
- Whether leave periods are paid
- Who covers travel and visa costs
- Who covers repatriation if the contract ends early
If a clause is unclear, ask before you sign. Asking does not slow the process down — an unexpected item later does. If an agency treats these questions as unnecessary, that reaction is the information.