Better economic security for abandoned seafarers
In May 2016, the Danish Parliament adopted amendments to the act on seafarers' conditions of employment. The amendments require shipowners to take out insurance or provide other guarantee ensuring the availability of means for covering abandoned seafarers' repatriation and subsistence as well as outstanding wage claims and other remuneration. However, wage claims are covered only to the extent that they are not covered by the Employees' Guarantee Fund (LG).
By 17 January 2017, at the latest, shipowners must have taken out the new insurances or provided other similar guarantee of the above claims. The amendments do not apply to fishing vessels or recreational craft.
Chief Ship Surveyor Martin John from the Danish Maritime Authority:
"Now, seafarers will get improved security for having their expenses for repatriation and outstanding wages and other remuneration covered if they are abandoned by their employer."
The insurances do not cover a number of benefits, including health insurance benefits for which the seafarers can be refunded by the public authorities.
The regulations enter into force on 1 January 2017
A certificate issued by the insurance company as proof that insurance has been taken out as well as declarations from the LG, the Labour Market Insurance and the Danish Maritime Authority must be available to the seafarers.
In the future, it will be evident from ships' so-called MLC certificates that insurance has been taken out or that a guarantee has been provided for the above-mentioned claims, and future surveys will also include this aspect.
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About Danish Maritime Authority
Danish Maritime Authority
“The Danish Maritime Authority sets the direction for future quality shipping”
Our field of responsibility is based on the shipping industry and its framework conditions, the ship and its crew. In addition, we are responsible for aids to navigation in the waters surrounding Denmark and ashore. In other words, the Danish Maritime Authority has the responsibility for the following:
- The construction, equipment and operation of Danish ships (including safety, terror prevention, navigational regulations, manning, occupational health and environmental protection) as well as port State control of foreign ships calling at Danish ports.
- Ship registration.
- Seafarers’ employment, health and conditions of social security.
- Shipping policy, maritime law as well as industrial policy, both nationally and internationally.
- Tasks related to aids to navigation at sea and ashore (lighthouses and buoys), including ships and repair workshops.
- Navigational information in the form of navigational analyses, warnings, GIS and specialist publications.
- The national pilot authority.
The Danish Maritime Authority consists of the central authority, eight survey offices, including the office in Nuuk, Greenland, as well as the Centre of Maritime Health and Safety on the island of Fanø.
Our responsibility as a government agency applies both to the merchant fleet and the fishing industry. However, the Danish Maritime Authority is not responsible for the industrial policy relating to fishing which is under the auspices of the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries.
Please observe that the surveillance of Danish waters and of civilian shipping, sovereignty enforcement, the police authority, pollution prevention, environmental surveillance, ice-breaking, etc. are the responsibility of the Ministry of Defence.
The Danish Maritime Authority is a government agency under the Ministry of Business and Growth.
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