The Cayman Island Shipping Registry (CISR) published a Merchant Shipping Act 2024 (MSA 2024) on the 11th of March with a new requirement for all Cayman Island-flagged yachts, as Dockwalk reported in their recent article. Both private and pleasure vessels are now required to possess written contracts for their crew. This requirement is the first of such in the yachting industry. The contract has to be signed by the employer or on behalf of the employer, and by the crew member.
The employment agreement must at the very least contain the wage amount, method of payment, the production of monthly wage accounts, any wage deductions permitted by this Act, and entitlement to repatriation and medical expenses. At the minimum, the contract also must include the entitlement to leave, the notice period required, the agreed place for the return of the seafarer, and the governing law.
According to the Guidance Note issued on the 12th of March, an employment contract cannot renounce any right or obligation under MSA 2024. Moreover, this requirement does not imply extra entitlements for the crew, but entitlements must now be specified in the contract. The CISR will not review individual contracts but will conduct surveys to ensure adherence.
Click here to read the full article of Dockwalk.
