Mumbai, India – Leading maritime and human rights organisations have issued a strong warning to Indian seafarers about the growing threat of recruitment fraud during the ITF Milaap 2026 Seafarers’ Expo in Mumbai.
The ITF Seafarers’ Trust (ITFST), the International Seafarers' Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN), the Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN) and the Institute for Human Rights and Business (IHRB) joined forces at the Expo to raise awareness about the serious risks associated with unlicensed recruitment and placement agencies. Over three days, hundreds of seafarers engaged directly with experts, regulators, NGOs, and fellow mariners who shared first-hand accounts of exploitation and fraud.
A central focus of the sessions was the illegal practice of charging seafarers recruitment fees. Captain Nilesh Murdeshwar, Maritime Expert for MACN, presented a case study highlighting corruption in maritime recruitment and emphasised a clear message: seafarers should never pay to secure employment. Charging recruitment or placement fees is illegal under Indian regulations.
Chirag Bahri, ISWAN International Operations Manager, interviewed three seafarers who had each paid more than INR 4 lakh (approximately £4,000 GBP) to unregistered agents. None received the promised employment. Two were left stranded overseas in extremely difficult conditions. All three—and their families—were left facing severe financial hardship, compounded by emotional and physical distress.
Capt. P. C. Meena, Deputy Director General of Shipping, Crew Branch , interviewed by Rakesh Ranjan, South Asia Regional Coordinator of IHRB, outlined the 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.
Seafarers were urged to verify agency credentials using the official list of licensed RPSL agencies available on the DG Shipping portal. Capt. Meena also advised that seafarers who encounter fraud should immediately file a formal complaint through the DG Shipping grievance redressal mechanism, which triggers investigation and possible disciplinary action.
Mohammed Arrachedi, ITF Flag of Convenience (FOC) Network Coordinator for the Arab World and Iran, reinforced the message, 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.
Luca Tommasi, ITF Grants Manager, said: “We are proud to collaborate with, ISWAN, MACN, IHRB and DG Shipping to ensure seafarers are informed about the risks posed by illegal recruitment agencies. Preventing exploitation starts with awareness, transparency, and strong enforcement.”
Seafarers, families, and maritime stakeholders must remain vigilant, and report suspicious recruitment practices. The participating organisations call on the Indian Directorate General of Shipping to reinforce their efforts against corrupt maritime recruitment agents to ensure that their measures have concrete results in eliminating this corrosive and illegal practice. Collective action – including government, ship operators and crewing agencies - is essential to eliminate corruption and protect the rights, welfare, and livelihoods of Indian seafarers.
ENDS
For further information or to arrange an interview please contact: Mary Bollan, Communications Manager, ITF Seafarers' Trust
Note to editors
The ITF Seafarers’ Trust is a UK charity established in 1981, which funds programmes that advance the wellbeing of maritime workers, seafarers and their families. We are funded by the Trust’s own capital funds, and by the investment income of the Welfare Fund at the International Transport Workers’ Federation, a global federation of transport workers’ unions representing nearly 16.5 million members.
The Institute for Human Rights and Business (IHRB) in its Shipping Programme addresses human rights risks across the full lifecycle of ships, from design and financing to construction, operation and recycling. Its current priority is highlighting industry responsibilities to respect the rights of seafarers serving on bulk carriers, tankers and container ships. Through research, collective action and practical tools, IHRB works with industry, regulators and civil society to improve seafarer welfare and responsible maritime recruitment. For further information, partnership opportunities or to hear more about our Action Group on Seafarer Recruitment Fees, please contact Francesca Fairbairn at IHRB.
International Seafarers' Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN): An international not-for-profit maritime organisation which works to ensure that seafarers and their families have the support and resources they need to respond to the challenges of life at sea, and to drive seafarer-centred change within the maritime sector. ISWAN is there for all seafarers and their families around the world, whatever they are facing, providing free helpline services (including SeafarerHelp and YachtCrewHelp), educational resources, relief funds and humanitarian support. ISWAN also works to drive seafarer-centred change within the maritime sector for better health, safety and wellbeing amongst seafarers and their families, using data insights from its helplines to inform the development of new projects and services. For more information, visit www.iswan.org.uk .
The Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN) is a global business network working towards the vision of a maritime industry free of corruption that enables fair trade to the benefit of society at large. Established in 2011 by a small group of committed maritime companies, MACN has grown to include over 220 companies globally and has become one of the pre-eminent examples of collective action to tackle corruption. MACN and its members work towards the elimination of all forms of maritime corruption by: raising awareness of the challenges faced; implementing the MACN Anti-Corruption Principles and co-developing and sharing best practices; collaborating with governments, non-governmental organizations, and civil society to identify and mitigate the root causes of corruption; and creating a culture of integrity within the maritime community. MACN - Maritime Anti-Corruption Network
