Manning agencies

A manning (or crewing) agency recruits and supplies seafarers to shipping operators — the principal — under a manning agreement. The agency is the seafarer's point of contact for contract issuing, joining travel, salary remittance, and shore-side queries. Under MLC 2006 Regulation 1.4, the flag state and the agency's home country are jointly responsible for ensuring agencies are licensed, do not charge seafarers a placement fee, and have a financial-security mechanism for unpaid wages.

This index lists 50agencies. Heavy on Philippine, Indian, and Ukrainian agencies — the world's largest seafarer-supplying nations.

Red flags before signing

• Placement fees, "processing" fees, "document" fees. MLC 2006 Standard A1.4 prohibits any fee charged to the seafarer for recruitment or placement (with limited exceptions for visas and specific government documents). If the agency asks for money to find you a job, it is non-compliant.
• No license number from the home country's authority.A reputable agency in the Philippines is licensed by the DMW (formerly POEA); in India by DG Shipping; in Ukraine by the State Service of Maritime and Inland Water Transport. Ask for the licence number; verify it on the regulator's public registry.
• Contract not in a language you understand. Demand a copy in English (the international working language) and in your native language if applicable. Read it before signing; a verbal promise is not a contract term.
• No mention of the CBA, ITF agreement, or wage scale.Reputable agencies will quote either an ITF Total Crew Cost (TCC) scale, an IBF agreement, or a national CBA. Vague phrases like "competitive" without numbers are a warning sign.
• Pressure to sign without time to review, or to travel before papers are checked.A legitimate agency will give you the contract, the joining instructions, the principal's name, the vessel, and the IMO number well in advance.
• No financial-security certificate.Under MLC 2006 the agency or its principal must hold a financial-security mechanism (insurance / P&I cover) for unpaid wages and repatriation. The certificate must be displayed onboard.

If something goes wrong

1. Raise it with the agency in writing — email, with a clear statement of the issue.
2. If unresolved, contact the flag state of the vessel (the flag must accept complaints under MLC 2006 Regulation 5.1.5) and the seafarer's national authority.
3. Contact the ITF Inspectorate — an inspector can attend the vessel in port.
4. Reach ISWAN SeafarerHelp for case management and welfare support.

By country

• Philippines · 14
• India · 7
• Hong Kong · 5
• Ukraine · 4
• Cyprus · 3
• Singapore · 3
• Russia · 3
• Norway · 3
• Latvia · 2
• United Kingdom · 2
• Ireland · 1
• Germany · 1
• Monaco · 1
• United States · 1

All manning agencies (50)

• 
  Anglo-Eastern Crew Management (Philippines) Inc. · Philippines
• 
  Anglo-Eastern Ship Management (India) Pvt. Ltd. · India
• 
  Anglo-Eastern Univan Group · Hong Kong
• B
  Baltic Maritime LV · Latvia
• 
  Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement · Cyprus
• 
  Bibby Ship Management Ltd. · United Kingdom
• 
  BSM Crew Service Centre India · India
• 
  BSM Crew Service Centre Philippines · Philippines
• 
  BSM Crew Service Centre Ukraine · Ukraine
• 
  C.F. Sharp Crew Management Inc. · Philippines
• 
  Columbia Ship Management (Philippines) Inc. · Philippines
• 
  Columbia Shipmanagement Ltd. · Cyprus
• C
  Crossworld Marine Services Inc. · Philippines
• D
  Donnelly Shipping Ltd. · Ireland
• 
  Eurasia Group Ltd. · Hong Kong
• 
  Executive Ship Management Pte. Ltd. · Singapore
• 
  FESCO Transportation Group · Russia
• 
  Fleet Management Limited · Hong Kong
• I
  INC Shipmanagement Inc. · Philippines
• 
  Jebsens Maritime AS · Norway
• 
  Klaveness Ship Management AS · Norway
• 
  Magsaysay Maritime Corporation · Philippines
• M
  Mano Maritime Ltd. · Latvia
• 
  Marlow Crew Services Ukraine · Ukraine
• 
  Marlow Navigation Co. Ltd. · Cyprus
• 
  Marlow Navigation Philippines Inc. · Philippines
• M
  Meridian Maritime Inc. · Philippines
• M
  MSC Crewing Services Ukraine · Ukraine
• N
  Novorossiysk Shipping Company (Novoship) · Russia
• 
  OSM Thome · Norway
• 
  Peter Döhle Schiffahrts-KG · Germany
• 
  Philippine Transmarine Carriers Inc. · Philippines
• S
  Scanmar Maritime Services Inc. · Philippines
• 
  Sovcomflot (SCF Group) Crewing · Russia
• 
  Stolt-Nielsen Manila (Crewing) · Philippines
• 
  Synergy Marine Group · Singapore
• 
  Synergy Maritime Pvt. Ltd. (India) · India
• 
  The Great Eastern Shipping Company Ltd. · India
• 
  Thome Ship Management India · India
• 
  Thome Ship Management Pte. Ltd. · Singapore
• U
  Ukrainian Marine Agency · Ukraine
• U
  United Philippine Lines Inc. · Philippines
• U
  Univan Ship Management Ltd. · Hong Kong
• 
  V.Group · Monaco
• 
  V.Group India · India
• 
  V.Group Philippines · Philippines
• 
  V.Ships Americas Inc. · United States
• 
  Wallem Group · Hong Kong
• 
  Wallem Maritime Services India · India
• 
  Zodiac Maritime Ltd. · United Kingdom

See also

• · Operators & ship managers
• · Helplines — for unpaid wages, abandonment, harassment.
• · Ranks & ratings — STCW certificates per rank.
• · Salary database — pay benchmarks by rank and vessel type.

Inclusion in this index is not an endorsement. We do not verify each agency's current licensing or compliance status — always check with the regulator and the relevant flag state before signing.