Before you board — the pre-departure workflow every seafarer should run
A vessel assignment goes wrong long before the crisis hits the ship — it goes wrong at signing, at the manning-agency office, at the visa appointment, or at the airline check-in desk. This hub is the workflow that catches problems before they board the plane with you. Ten practical checks, each pairing a human-readable guide with the right tool at /tools.
The workflow
- 01 · Contract checklist
The plain-English checklist a working seafarer should run on a Seafarer Employment Agreement (SEA) before signing or boarding. Pairs with the contract red-flag checker tool.
- 02 · Manning agency check
The 10-step verification process to run on any recruiter before sending originals, paying any 'fee', or accepting an offer. Pairs with the manning-agency scam checker tool.
- 03 · Vessel check
The 5-minute verification on the ship itself. Done right, this catches non-existent vessels, vessels under sanctions, vessels with a PSC detention history, and vessel-name swaps.
- 04 · Flag check
The flag state controls MLC enforcement, complaint routes, and financial-security obligations on your vessel. A 5-minute check tells you what you can expect — and what to do if something goes wrong.
- 05 · Joining port check
What to verify about the joining port before flying. Catches visa-type errors, shore-pass refusals, and 'no transit allowed' surprises at immigration.
- 06 · Document checklist
The full document picture for joining a ship. Carry-on hand luggage list, copies left at home, phone backups, and embassy details — all in one place.
- 07 · Family copy checklist
The set of documents and contacts a family member should hold while the seafarer is at sea. If something goes wrong, this folder is what triggers the right call to the right person.
- 08 · Questions before signing
The questions that distinguish a legitimate offer from a sketchy one. A real agent + a real owner answer these clearly; a scam recruiter changes the subject.
- 09 · Red flags
The signals that the offer in front of you is too risky to accept. Some flags are absolute walk-aways; others are 'verify and slow down' signals.
- 10 · Travel day checklist
The morning-of-departure sweep. Every item is fast; the cost of skipping one is high. Goes hand-in-hand with /documents/check-before-flying.