Responsible Maritime Recruitment Toolkit
25 June 2026
Summary
- The charging of recruitment fees, which is an illegal practice prohibited by international maritime law, sees seafarers pay fees to crewing agencies for jobs onboard merchant vessels, often resulting in high levels of debt and leading to conditions of forced labour.
- IHRB and TURTLE’s research shows fees are widespread within shipping – almost a third (31%) of seafarers have been asked to pay a recruitment fee to secure a job onboard a merchant vessel.
- In response, we have created a tool to help the maritime industry tackle recruitment fees in their operations and supply chains. The toolkit provides a simple five-phase approach to help companies identify and mitigate recruitment fee risks. The phases move from foundational controls to active oversight, supported by collective action throughout.
- The tool is backed by over 30 major global shipowners, ship operators, charterers and container cargo owners, insurers and investors - including Odfjell, CMA CGM, NYK Ship Management, Wilhelmsen Ship Management, IMC Ship Management, Anglo American, Louis Dreyfus Company, Mercuria, Inter IKEA Group, Gard, South32 and many others. It is also supported by Mission to Seafarers, MACN, ISWAN, Rafto Foundation, Sustainable Shipping Initiative, shipping associations, ITF and other unions and civil society organisations. Many of these organisations are part of the Action Group on Seafarer Recruitment Fees, an IHRB-convened coalition of industry stakeholders who wish to work collectively to eliminate seafarer recruitment fees.
