IHRB at the ITF Seafarers’ Expo 2026, Mumbai

Between 29–31 January 2026, maritime stakeholders gathered in Mumbai, India, for the ITF Seafarer’s Expo, convened by the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF). 

The Expo brought together seafarers, trade unions, regulators, welfare organisations, recruitment intermediaries, shipping companies, and maritime training institutions to discuss pressing issues affecting Indian seafarers.

IHRB hosted discussions to connect our global maritime work with our country-level engagement in India.

IHRB co-organised panel: Recruitment: Know Your Rights

The “Recruitment: Know Your Rights” panel (repeated over the three days) was organised in partnership with the ITF Seafarers' Trust, the International Seafarers' Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN), and the Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN). 

The event’s objective was to raise awareness among seafarers and other maritime stakeholders about the risks of illegal recruitment fees, and to strengthen understanding of seafarers’ rights and available remedy pathways. It aimed to bring together regulators, welfare organisations, civil society actors, and seafarers themselves to share practical knowledge, first-hand experiences, and institutional responses, while encouraging greater accountability across the maritime recruitment chain.

The panel was coordinated by Luca Tommasi, ITF Seafarers’ Trust Grants Manager. Over three days, hundreds of seafarers engaged directly with experts, regulators, NGOs, and fellow mariners who shared first-hand accounts of exploitation and fraud.

Event background: India’s maritime labour landscape and recruitment risks

India remains one of the world’s major suppliers of seafarers. Thousands of Indian crew serve across international fleets, contributing to global trade and supporting domestic livelihoods through remittances. At the same time, intense competition for placements creates structural vulnerabilities.

India is a signatory of Maritime Labour Convention 2006 and maintains a regulatory framework under the Merchant Shipping Act, overseen by the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS), including a licensing system for Recruitment and Placement Services (RPS). However, implementation gaps continue to surface, particularly concerning sub-agent networks operating at local levels.

When seafarers are charged fees to secure employment, the risk of debt-driven vulnerability can be considerable. This risk can cascade into forced labour indicators, including inability to leave employment, withholding wages, or reluctance to report abuse. 

Eliminating recruitment fees is not only a matter of fairness; it is central to preventing debt bondage, forced labour risks, and is closely linked to other poor outcomes such as abandonment at sea and dark fleet activities.

Discussion summary: Recruitment: Know Your Rights

What are recruitment fees

The panel began with a discussion of what constitutes recruitment fees in maritime contexts. Despite increasing global acceptance of the Employer Pays Principle, confusion persists regarding documentation costs, medical examinations, training charges, visa-related payments, and informal “service” fees. The discussion underscored that when workers bear recruitment costs, debt dependency becomes embedded in the employment relationships.

Seafarer testimonies

A powerful segment of the event centred on stories shared by three Indian seafarers. They each described paying more than US$5,000 h to unregistered agents in exchange for promised placements. None received the employment promised. Two were subsequently stranded overseas under highly distressing conditions.

These testimonies illustrated the cumulative impact of recruitment-related debt. Families often use savings, borrow against assets, or rely on informal credit to finance the various fees associated with the placements. When those placements fail, financial loss is immediate and can be severe. In addition to debt burdens, social stigma and psychological stress compound the harm.

Engagement with the Directorate General of Shipping

Capt. P. C. Meena, Nautical Surveyor cum Deputy Director General of Shipping (Tech/Crew), Directorate General of Shipping (DGS), India, interviewed by Dr. Rakesh Ranjan, South Asia Regional Coordinator of IHRB, outlined the Indian Directorate General of Shipping’s (DG Shipping) efforts to combat illegal recruitment practices. He reiterated that the recruitment and placement of Indian seafarers must be conducted exclusively through DG Shipping-licensed Recruitment and Placement Service Licence (RPSL) agencies. Under licence conditions, agencies are strictly prohibited from charging seafarers recruitment or placement fees.

The exchange addressed licensing enforcement, monitoring of sub-agents, and the importance of awareness among aspiring seafarers regarding authorised recruitment channels.

Illegal recruitment fees fuel seafarer abandonment

Mohammed Arrachedi, ITF Flag of Convenience Network Coordinator for the Arab world and Iran, concluded the panel, noting that many cases of abandoned Indian seafarers begin with payment to unscrupulous agents for jobs that either do not exist or differ significantly from what was promised.

Charging of recruitment fees often place seafarers in immediate financial distress even before their employment begins. When promised placements fail to materialise, or when working conditions differ from what was agreed, affected seafarers are left without income while still carrying significant debt. 

Key themes emerging from the panel

• Recruitment fees remain a systemic risk in Indian maritime labour supply chains. Despite India’s formal regulatory framework under the Merchant Shipping Act and the licensing of recruitment and placement services, informal sub-agent networks continue to operate at the local level.
  
• Grievance and remedy pathways require strengthening. While organisations such as Mission to Seafarers and ISWAN provide direct support to seafarers in distress, many cases reveal delayed intervention, cross-border jurisdictional challenges, and limited awareness among seafarers about available assistance and even about their rights in general.
  
• The ITF Milaap Expo reaffirmed the need for coordinated interventions linking countries of origin, flag states, shipowners, and placement agencies, and that progress will require sustained regulatory enforcement, industry alignment, and continued efforts to amplify seafarers’ voices.