Ghana Shipping (Maritime Labour) Regulations, 2015 (L.I. 2226)
Regulation 13
(1) A shipowner shall enter into an employment agreement with a seafarer whom the shipowner employs on board the ship, and the shipowner and seafarer shall each keep a signed original of the employment agreement.
(2) The employment agreement shall be signed by the seafarer and the shipowner or a representative of the shipowner before the seafarer boards the ship.
(3) A seafarer may examine and seek advice on the terms and conditions in the employment agreement of that seafarer before signing the agreement.
(4) Where a seafarer engaged on a ship is not an employee, the shipowner shall enter into a contractual or other arrangement in terms similar to that of the employment agreement under sub regulation (1).
(5) A shipowner shall ensure that information on the conditions of employment of the seafarer can be easily obtained on board the ship by the seafarer and that the information, including a copy of the employment agreement of the seafarer, is also accessible for review by officers of the Authority, and officers in the ports to be visited.
(6) A shipowner or master shall ensure that every seafarer is given a document containing a record of the employment of the seafarer on board the ship and that document shall not contain any statement as to the quality of work or wages of the seafarer.
(7) The Authority shall specify by Maritime Circulars
(a) the form of,
(b) the particulars to be recorded in, and
(c) the manner in which the particulars are to be entered in the document referred to in sub regulation (6).
(8) Where the language of the employment agreement and any applicable collective bargaining agreement is not in English, the shipowner shall make the following documents available in English:
(a) a copy of a standard form of the agreement; and
(b) the portions of the collective bargaining agreement that are subject to a Port State inspection.
(9) An employment agreement shall contain
(a) the full name, date of birth or age and birthplace of the seafarer;
(b) the name and address of the shipowner;
(c) the place where and date when the employment agreement is entered into;
(d) the capacity in which the seafarer is to be employed;
(e) the amount of the seafarer's wages or, where applicable, the formula used for calculating the wages;
(f) the amount of paid annual leave or, where applicable, the formula used for calculating the annual leave;
(g) the termination of the agreement and the conditions for termination, including
(i) where the agreement is for an indefinite period, the conditions entitling either party to terminate it, as well as the required notice period, which shall not be less for the shipowner than for the seafarer;
(ii) where the agreement is for a definite period, the date fixed for its expiry; and
(iii) where the agreement is for a voyage, the port of destination and the time that has to expire after arrival before the seafarer is discharged;
(h) the health and social security protection benefits to be provided to the seafarer by the shipowner;
(i) the entitlement of the seafarer on repatriation;
(j) a reference to the collective bargaining agreement, if applicable; and
(k) any other particulars required by law.
(10) Where a collective bargaining agreement forms all or a part of an employment agreement, the shipowner shall make a copy of that agreement available on board the ship.
(11) For the purpose of this regulation, the minimum period of notice required to be given by a seafarer and a ship-owner for the early termination of a seafarers' employment agreement is seven days except in exceptional circumstances where a seafarer may give a shorter notice period.
Procedure to Follow
Not Avaiable
Responsible Institution
7th Floor, Ghana Shippers House, Ridge
- Email: info@shippers-gh.com
- Website: https://shippers.org.gh/
- GPS:
- Telephone: 0302 666915
Relevant Forms to Download
Not Available
Online System
Link Unavailable
Fees/ charges
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