Manning and Seafarers Certification

Ships registered in Malta are issued with a Minimum Safe Manning Certificate. The composition of the crew compliment working onboard Malta flagged ships is determined in line with the Minimum Safe Manning Guidelines for Cargo Ships. Seafarers must also be certified in accordance with the STCW Convention and their employment onboard is also regulated by the Merchant Shipping (Maritime Labour Convention) Rules, 2013. Third country nationals working onboard Malta flagged vessels are not subject to be national social security legislation whilst the insurability of seafarers who are EU nationals is regulated by Article 11(4) of the EC Regulation 883/2004.
The shipowner must maintain adequate insurance cover in respect of every member of the crew of his ship to cover liability to pay hospital, medical, maintenance, funeral and other expenses incurred in relation to the injury to, or illness or death of, a member of the crew; and liability to repatriate and to compensate a member of the crew for the loss of his employment cause in consequence of the actual or constructive total of the ship and necessitating the signing off the crew; liability to pay compensation or damages in accordance with Maltese law and in practice in relation to the injury to, or illness or death of, a member of the crew; liability for wages payable to an injured or sick member of the crew or on death to this estate and liability in respect of loss of or damage to the personal effects of a crew member.
Shipowners must also arrange for financial security to cover, amongst others, the cost of repatriation and maintenance of the crew member in line with the obligations arising from the MLC Convention.