Seafarers' Rights International and Human Rights at Sea can refer pro-bono maritime lawyers in your jurisdiction. National union legal desks are often the fastest path.
Step-by-step
Contact your national union first — AMOSUP (PH), NUSI/MUI (IN), Nautilus (UK/NL/CH), MTWTU (UA).
If no union covers you, email Seafarers' Rights International with documents scanned.
Record everything: contract, vessel name, dates, port, chain-of-correspondence.
For criminal cases at sea (e.g. unfair arrest after a collision), demand your flag-state consul before any formal statement.