Joining-day checklist

Joining day is busy, often disorienting, and easy to get wrong — particularly the administrative steps that will matter later in the contract. The checklist below covers the sequence from airport arrival to the first night on board. Many experienced seafarers keep a version of this in their phone to run through on every new contract, regardless of rank.

Before leaving home

• Confirm joining port, agent name, agent phone number, and vessel name in writing (email or WhatsApp).
• Print the emergency contact card from /tools/emergency-contact-plan — laminate it and keep it in your wallet.
• Check document validity: passport (6 months beyond contract end), STCW certs, medical cert, visas.
• Scan every document to cloud storage (accessible from any browser at sea).
• Confirm allotment bank account details with your family recipient.
• Note the vessel's IMO number and flag state — useful if you need to file a complaint later.

Airport to vessel

• On arrival, contact the agent immediately — even if they are not visibly waiting. Agents sometimes wait outside the arrivals area.
• Keep all transport and accommodation receipts — joining expenses are the owner's responsibility under MLC 2006 Regulation 2.5.
• Do not hand over your passport to anyone other than an immigration officer; agents who request to hold your passport should be questioned — this is a red-flag practice in some ports.
• Note the agent's full name and company and keep a record; you may need this if a dispute arises.
• At the gangway: sign the security log and present your CDC and joining letter to the duty officer.

Signing the SEA

The Seafarer Employment Agreement (SEA) must be read, agreed, and signed in the presence of the master (or a delegate) before the vessel departs. Under MLC 2006 Standard A2.1, the original signed SEA must be kept by the shipowner; the seafarer receives a copy. Check:

• Your name is correctly spelled and your rank matches the agreed role.
• The wage rate matches what was agreed at interview or in the pre-joining letter.
• The contract duration and repatriation terms are as expected.
• The governing law and dispute-resolution forum are stated (critical for any later wage dispute).

See Seafarer Employment Agreement for the full explanation of your contract rights.

SOLAS familiarisation (mandatory within 24 hours)

SOLAS Chapter V Regulation 2 and STCW Code A-VI/1 require ship operators to ensure that every new crew member is familiarised with their emergency duties before the vessel departs or within 24 hours of joining. This is not optional and is a PSC inspection point. The duty officer or safety officer will typically conduct a walk-through covering:

• Personal lifesaving equipment — location of your lifejacket and immersion suit (usually in your cabin); try donning the lifejacket to confirm fit and that the light and whistle are present.
• Muster station — find it physically; your muster card (posted at your bunk) states your station and duties. Sign the muster list.
• Escape routes — walk at least two escape routes from your cabin to the open deck. Green running-man signs mark the routes; learn which stairways lead where.
• Alarm signals — general alarm: 7 short blasts + 1 long. Fire alarm: continuous short blasts. Man overboard: 3 long blasts. These are listed on the bridge and in the accommodation.
• Fire-fighting equipment — nearest extinguisher to your cabin; fire dampers in the ventilation system; fire-hose location. Know which extinguisher type (water, CO₂, powder, foam) goes on which class of fire.
• MARPOL discharge rules — garbage management plan, oil record book location, no overboard discharge rules for oily water within 12 nm and in special areas. The chief officer can walk you through this.

Administrative tasks on joining day

• Take over your locker and safe — change the safe combination immediately; do not leave the factory default. Keep the new combination somewhere only you know it (not on a sticky note in the drawer).
• Photograph the DMLC Part II — posted in the messroom. This is the owner's commitment to MLC compliance. Keep a copy offline for reference if conditions later diverge from it.
• Request WiFi credentials — ask the radio officer or chief officer: what is the daily data allowance, what time does the satellite uplink run, and are video calls permitted? See internet and communication for expectations.
• Complete the allotment authorisation form — specify recipient bank, amount or percentage, and start month. Confirm when the first allotment will be sent. Keep a copy.
• Complete the crew list / personal data form — emergency contacts for the master. Ensure your next-of-kin details are accurate.
• Get your work-rest record book — under MLC Std A2.3(12), records must be maintained from the start of service. Ask the chief officer for the approved record form.

First watch handover

When taking over a watch or relieving a position for the first time, ask for a proper handover. For deck officers: ship's position, course, speed, ETA, traffic situation, standing orders, any deficiencies, the master's night orders. For engineers: running machinery status, any alarms or faults outstanding, bilge levels, standing orders. STCW Code A-VIII/1 describes the watchkeeping principles. See watchkeeping routines for the full picture.

Frequently asked questions

• Do I have to sign the SEA immediately on joining, or can I read it first?

  The SEA must be read and agreed before signing — this is a right, not a courtesy. MLC 2006 Standard A2.1(1)(b) requires seafarers to be given an opportunity to review and seek advice on the agreement before signing. In practice, you will typically receive the SEA from the agent or the master's office on joining day. Take the time to compare it against the terms agreed at interview or in the joining letter. Any differences should be queried in writing before you sign.

• What is the DMLC Part II and why does it matter?

  The Declaration of Maritime Labour Compliance Part II (DMLC II) is the document in which the shipowner sets out the specific measures adopted to ensure the vessel complies with MLC 2006. It must be posted in an accessible location — typically the messroom notice board. Photographing it on joining day gives you a reference for the working conditions, rest hours, food standards, and medical provisions the owner has committed to. If conditions on board diverge from the DMLC II, that is a documented MLC breach.

• How do I set up an allotment?

  An allotment is an automatic portion of your monthly wage sent directly to a designated recipient — typically a family member. The allotment authorisation form is completed on joining day (or shortly after) and submitted to the master or the shipping company's accounts department. You specify the recipient's bank account details and the amount or percentage to be remitted each month. MLC 2006 Regulation 2.2 protects the right to send allotments, and MLC Standard A2.2(4) requires at no cost to the seafarer beyond the actual cost of the transfer.

• What if the agent does not show up at the airport?

  First, call the agent&apos;s number on your joining letter. If there is no answer within 30 minutes, call the company&apos;s crewing department. If you cannot reach either, contact the nearest ITF inspector (listed at itfseafarers.org) or the ISWAN SeafarerHelp line (+44 20 7323 2737). Keep all receipts for any taxi or accommodation costs — the company is responsible for repatriation and joining expenses under MLC Regulation 2.5 and your SEA. Prepare before departure by storing all numbers in your phone and on the emergency contact card from <Link href="/tools/emergency-contact-plan">/tools/emergency-contact-plan</Link>.

Primary sources

• · IMO — SOLAS Chapter V, Regulation 2 (familiarisation obligations)
• · IMO — STCW Code A-VI/1 (basic training and familiarisation)
• · ILO — MLC 2006 Standards A2.1 (SEA), A2.2 (wages and allotments), A2.3 (work-rest records)

See also

• · Seafarer Employment Agreement (SEA)
• · Your first contract at sea
• · What to pack
• · Watchkeeping routines
• · Hours of rest
• · Emergency contact plan tool
• · Unpaid wages
• · Welfare helplines
• · MLC 2006 overview

Disclaimer. General practical information only — not legal advice. SEA rights, SOLAS familiarisation requirements, and MLC obligations vary by flag state and vessel type. For specific cases, contact your union, the ITF inspector at the port, or ISWAN SeafarerHelp.