The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways on 28th June 2021 has published the Merchant Shipping (Maritime Labour) Amendment Rules, 2021 to further amend the Merchant Shipping (Maritime Labour) Rules, 2016 which shall deemed to have come into force on the 26th day of December, 2020.
As per the amendment, a seafarer’s employment agreement shall continue to have an effect while a seafarer is held captive on or off the ship as a result of acts of piracy or armed robbery against ships, regardless of whether the date fixed for its expiry has passed or either party has given the notice to suspend or terminate it.
Further a new sub rule 6 has been inserted under rule 9 which deals with wages, in which if a seafarer is held captive on or off the ship as a result of acts of piracy or armed robbery against ships, wages and other entitlements, including repatriation, under the seafarers’ employment agreement, relevant collective bargaining agreement or these rules, as applicable including the remittance of any allotments, shall continue to be paid and ensured by the ship-owner during the entire period of captivity and until the seafarer is released and duly repatriated.
