Tanzania Strengthens Legal Framework To Protect Seafarers’ Rights , Duties In 2025

As Tanzania’s maritime sector grows amid increasing demand for seafarers in offshore oil, cargo shipping, fishing, and cruise industries, the country continues to update its legal framework governing seafarers’ rights and obligations.
The framework integrates key international conventions with Tanzanian laws to ensure fair treatment, safety, and welfare for maritime workers.

International conventions such as the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006, the STCW Convention on training and certification, and relevant ILO conventions underpin seafarers’ rights globally and in Tanzania. The country enforces these through national laws including the Merchant Shipping Act (2003), the Tanzania Shipping Agencies Act, and labor laws governing employment rights, occupational health, and safety.

Seafarers in Tanzania enjoy critical rights including valid written employment contracts licensed by the Tanzania Shipping Agencies Corporation (TASAC), fair wages, safe working conditions, free medical care, repatriation on contract completion or emergencies, social protections, union membership freedom, and access to complaints and legal redress mechanisms. They also bear responsibilities such as holding valid certifications, performing duties professionally, complying with safety and environmental rules, honoring contract terms, and reporting incidents.

Regulatory bodies like TASAC, the Ministry of Works and Transport, and the Ministry of Labour enforce these laws alongside dedicated marine courts and the High Court’s labour division.

Emerging in 2025 are advances like digital seafarers’ IDs and e-certifications, financial guarantees against abandonment, stricter licensing of recruitment agencies, and expanded welfare services including mental health support. The government also emphasizes combating harassment, promoting gender equality on ships, and encouraging seafarer training to address skilled labor shortages in the maritime industry.

However, challenges remain, notably in enforcing standards on vessels flagged under so-called “flags of convenience” that sometimes evade responsibilities, risking seafarers’ rights and safety—a concern raised by international labor groups and local advocates alike.

With these evolving legal protections and enforcement mechanisms, Tanzania seeks to anchor the rights and obligations of its seafarers firmly within international norms while addressing local maritime realities, contributing to safer, fairer conditions at sea.

Sources: Tanzania Shipping Agencies Corporation statements June 2025, International Labour Organization conventions, Tanzania Merchant Shipping Act, maritime labor research studies.