Crewing agents: Money for nothing

Crewing agents get their commission from employers when they place staff, yet some are still charging seafarers for their services.

According to international labour standards, seafarers should not have to pay manning agents to find them a job. National government guidelines may also prohibit these agents – who are paid by employers – from collecting additional fees from workers. Yet the practice continues to be widespread.

The experience of ITF inspectors suggests that thousands of serving seafarers have paid to secure their current contracts.

Many more have paid manning agents for vague or non-existent administrative services, or have even paid for jobs that failed to materialise.

Next time you are looking for a contract, be wary of manning agencies who charge fees. Before signing up to one, check your government’s guidelines on this practice and look for an alternative agent who does not charge fees. If you do end up with an agent that charges fees, make sure you:

Never pay an agent just to search (ie without obligation) for a job.
Never pay for a job before you have signed the employment contract.

Did you pay for a job?

Some comments from a straw poll of seafarers who were asked if they had paid a manning agent:

“I paid my manning agent US$600 to get me a good job.”
Yuri, Ukrainian, AB, bulk carrier

“This time I didn’t pay. But in Ukraine usually everybody pays – we just don’t tell people.”
Ukrainian, technical electrician, cruise ship

“I paid nothing for the job I have now, but in the past I have paid the agent for a job.”
Ronnie, Filipino, AB, bulk carrier

“I paid US$300 to the owner.”
Fernando, Indian, 2nd officer, bulk carrier

“In my 20 years in this company (Japanese) I have never paid money to get a job.”
Bambang Setyo, Indonesian, 2nd officer, general cargo ship

“I don’t pay. Our agency in the Philippines gives us the chance to arrange everything by phone so we don’t lose time or money going to Manila.”
Filipino, deck boy, container ship

“The last time I paid was in March 2001, but my company knows about it – we consult the company regularly. I paid US$1,500, which is half a month’s salary. I know that at least three manning agencies in my home city are still taking money from crew, equivalent to up to 10 per cent of their wages.”
Anatoly, Russian, captain, general cargo ship

Never pay for anything without getting a receipt.

Dodgy dealings

Two ITF inspectors report their impressions of manning agencies:

“In the Far East of Russia there are hundreds of crewing agencies and most of them accept bribes (or commission) in exchange for a job. A lot of seafarers, except highly qualified people and high officers, have to pay. The price ranges from US$200 to US$500.

One third officer I spoke to, named Dmitriy, paid one month’s wages for placement on a flag of convenience tanker, with a good salary, after he graduated from the Far Eastern State Marine Academy. An electrical engineer, Alexey, paid US$400 to be placed on a fishing vessel.

There are a lot of ways to get money from seafarers. Very often seafarers have been cheated – they pay money but never receive a job. And often they don’t get receipts for the money they have paid. Some crewing agencies do their business without any licence.”

Petr Osichansky, ITF Inspector, Seafarers’ Union of Russia, Vladivostok

“We interviewed the master and third engineer on a Georgia-flagged vessel in Venice. Both denied ever having paid a national crewing agency for an engagement, but during the interview it emerged that in Ukraine there are some 200 crewing agencies, some operating on the black market and issuing false certificates or competence for masters or chief engineers.”

Antonio E Blasi, ITF Inspector, FILT-CGIL, Venice