【AMSA】AMSA may take action on prohibition seafarer's shore leave

AMSA issued Marine Notice 03/2023 which supercedes Marine Notice 08/2022.

This marine notice draws attention to the importance of providing shore leave to seafarers, which is their right mentioned in MLC2006.

AMSA expects that companies strongly consider the benefits to seafarer wellbeing and recovery when assessing the risks of allowing shore leave. In addition, AMSA Port State control officers may take action when there are clear grounds to believe the master or officers in charge of ships have not complied with the requirements as set out in the MLC 2006, for seafarers to access shore leave.

The COVID-19 epidemic after 2020 has long continued to prevent seafarers from shore leave when the vessel calls at a port of call, but recently such restrictions have been relaxed worldwide. Nevertheless, there are cases in which landing is not permitted in some ports, or is deemed inappropriate due to various circumstances. In such cases, we recommend that you prepare for the PSC inspection a notice from the port authority, etc. that landing is not permitted and the grounds on which it is determined that landing is not appropriate.