WJ4.20 Manning agent

“Manning Agent” refers to an overseas manning agent engaged by either the employer or a foreign crew, to assist in either placing or recruiting suitably experienced foreign crew.

WJ4.20.1 Acceptable manning agents

Acceptable agents for the recruitment and placement of foreign crew are defined as those that:

1. are a public service, or a publicly licensed private service, where such a service exists;
2. are remunerated (if at all) solely by the employer (or employer’s agent) and require no fees whatsoever from foreign crew members for the recruitment or placement of foreign crew;

   Note: the reasonable costs of the national statutory medical examination, certificates, a personal travel document and the national seafarer's book shall not be deemed to be "fees”.

3. do not hold collateral from foreign crew (such as work or identification documents, passports, money or other property) for any reason, especially when it has the effect of preventing foreign crew from leaving their contract;
4. do not use coercion, duress or undue influence of any kind to recruit workers; and
5. are not known to have any history of engaging in debt bondage, human trafficking or other exploitative practices.

Effective 17/12/2012