Survey from Liverpool John Moores University and The Mission to Seafarers shows scale of corrupt practice of seafarers compelled to pay illegal employment fees, leading to debt, exploitative working conditions, and extended family separation.
Illegal recruitment fees and charges
The extent of illegal recruitment fees and charges being levied on seafarers, in violation of the Maritime Labour Convention, has been revealed in a research report and survey produced by Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) and leading maritime welfare charity, The Mission to Seafarers (MtS).
The report, titled ‘Survey on Fees and Charges for Seafarer Recruitment or Placement’, shines a light on instances in which seafarers are being forced into paying illegal fees and charges, further confirming the extent of this serious problem and providing a better understanding of how widespread the issue is.
The report includes a survey of over 200 seafarers, drawn from a wide variety of ranks, age and nationalities, and all data collected was processed rigorously in adherence to academic standards at Liverpool John Moores University. Almost 65% of respondents stated that they were aware of illegal demands for recruitment or placement fees, either through personal experience or the experience of a colleague.
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Source: LJMU
