Terms of Service

These Terms and Conditions ("Terms") govern your use of this website and our recruitment, placement and crew management services. Please read them with our Privacy Policy, Grievance Procedure and Anti-Fraud Warning.

Our commitments in brief

• We never charge seafarers for recruitment or placement, and we never take any part of your wages.
• We are licensed in Bangladesh (Department of Shipping) and India (DGMA); our licence numbers are in section 3 and can be checked with the authorities.
• We place seafarers only under a written Seafarer Employment Agreement that meets MLC 2006, and you may read it and keep a signed copy.
• We check certificates, endorsements and medical fitness against MLC 2006 and STCW requirements before placement, and we do not accept false or altered documents.
• We do not keep your original passport, CDC or certificates as security, and we do not blacklist anyone for making a complaint.
• We acknowledge complaints within 2 working days and aim to finish our investigation within 7 working days.

These points summarise the Terms below. Where they differ, the detailed clauses apply.

1. Definitions

"We", "us", "the Company": S.K. Engineering Shipping and Trading, operating through our Jamalpur (Bangladesh) and Navi Mumbai (India) offices.

"Seafarer": any person who registers with us or applies for employment on a vessel through us.

"Principal": a ship owner, manager, operator or charterer that requests crew or other services from us.

"Services": crew recruitment and placement, crew management, training and certificate tracking, flag state documentation, medical (PEME) coordination, travel and logistics, payroll, and P&I and insurance coordination.

"SEA": the Seafarer Employment Agreement between a Seafarer and the shipowner or Principal.

"Service Agreement": the written agreement between us and a Principal for Services.

"MLC 2006": the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006, as amended.

"STCW": the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978, as amended (including the 2010 Manila Amendments), and the STCW Code.

"Competent Authority": the Department of Shipping (Bangladesh), DGMA (India), and the flag state or port state where relevant.

"Website": this website and any portal or form on it.

2. Acceptance and eligibility

2.1 By using the Website, submitting a form or registering with us, you agree to these Terms. If you do not agree, please do not use the Website.

2.2 You must be at least 18 years old, and legally able to work in your country, to register as a Seafarer. Principals must have authority to bind the company they represent.

2.3 If a Service Agreement or SEA applies, it prevails over these Terms for the matters it covers.

2.4 Nothing in these Terms reduces any right you have under MLC 2006, STCW or applicable law. If a clause conflicts with MLC 2006, STCW or mandatory law, the Convention or law prevails.

3. Who we are, our licences and how to verify us

3.1 We are a licensed manning and recruitment agent:

3.2 We recruit Bangladeshi Seafarers through the Jamalpur office and Indian Seafarers through the Navi Mumbai office. Each office acts under its own national licence and law.

3.3 You can check a licence with the issuing authority, or ask us for a copy. Licence validity is shown on our Branches page. If you cannot confirm a licence, contact us before paying anyone or sending documents.

4. How we apply MLC 2006 and STCW

4.1 We carry out recruitment and placement in line with MLC 2006 and STCW. The table shows what we do and where the requirement comes from.

4.2 This section describes how we perform our own recruitment and placement role. Conditions on board, safe manning, watchkeeping and the ship's training records remain the responsibility of the shipowner, the Master and the flag state, as MLC 2006 and STCW provide.

5. Use of the Website

5.1 You may use the Website to learn about our Services, view vacancies, register your profile, submit a crew request and contact us.

5.2 You must not give false or misleading information; submit another person's documents or details without their permission; try to access restricted areas or other users' data; introduce malware or use automated scraping that harms the Website; or use the Website to send unsolicited advertising.

5.3 Vacancies are indicative. Vessel names, ranks, wages, contract length, sign-on dates and ports shown on the Website may change without notice and are confirmed only in a written SEA that you can read before you sign. A listed vacancy does not guarantee a position.

5.4 Fleet and service information. Vessel types, capacity ranges and crew sizes describe typical coverage, not a commitment to supply crew for a specific vessel. Availability is confirmed in writing in a Service Agreement or crew proposal.

5.5 Crew Portal. When the Crew Portal opens, access is limited to registered Seafarers. Keep your login details private and tell us at once if you think someone else has used them.

5.6 We may change, suspend or remove any part of the Website, including for maintenance or security.

6. Terms for Seafarers

6.1 No fees, deposits or wage deductions. We never charge a Seafarer any fee or other charge, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, for recruitment or placement (MLC 2006, Standard A1.4). We do not ask for bonds, deposits, security or guarantees, and we take no part of your wages or allotments. The only costs a Seafarer may bear are for their own national statutory medical certificate, national seafarer's book (CDC), passport or similar personal travel document. Visa costs are borne by the shipowner. If anyone asks you for money in our name, do not pay and report it to grievance@skengineering-maritime.com.

6.2 Registration. Registering does not create an employment relationship and does not guarantee a vacancy. We keep your profile to consider you for current and future vacancies.

6.3 Certificates and STCW. You must hold, and keep valid, the Certificate of Competency and certificates of proficiency that STCW requires for your rank, capacity and vessel type, for example basic safety training, security awareness and, where applicable, advanced fire fighting, medical care, GMDSS, tanker or gas endorsements and Electro-Technical Officer certification. You need a valid flag state endorsement where the flag requires one, and must complete refresher and revalidation training when STCW requires it.

6.4 Verification and authenticity. We verify certificates with the issuing authority and, where required, the flag state. We do not accept false, altered or expired documents. We may remove you from our database and report suspected certificate fraud to the issuing authority and the Competent Authority.

6.5 Medical fitness. You must hold a valid medical certificate that meets MLC 2006 and STCW standards, complete a pre-employment medical examination (PEME) at an approved centre, and take any drug and alcohol test the Principal requires. Tell us of any change in your health that affects your fitness for sea service. If you are refused a certificate or limits are placed on it, you may ask for a further examination by another independent medical practitioner.

6.6 Selection and offers. Selection is made by us and the Principal based on rank, experience, certificates and vessel needs. An offer becomes binding only when you and the shipowner sign a written SEA. Before you sign, you may read it, take advice, and ask us to explain your rights and duties; you keep a signed copy.

6.7 Wages and allotments. Wages are paid as your SEA and any applicable collective bargaining agreement set out, at least monthly, to your own bank account or to the allottee you name.

6.8 Hours of rest and fitness for duty. Your work schedule must respect the limits on hours of work and rest in MLC 2006 and STCW. Keep accurate records of your hours and tell the Master or us if the limits are not met. You must not stand a watch or perform safety duties when unfit through fatigue, alcohol or drugs, and must observe the alcohol limits that STCW, the flag state and the company set.

6.9 Your documents. We do not keep your original passport, CDC or certificates as security for any debt or obligation. We hold originals only for the time needed to process a specific application, such as a visa, endorsement or travel booking, give you a receipt on request, and return them promptly when done or when you ask.

6.10 No blacklisting or retaliation. We do not use blacklists or other means to stop a Seafarer from finding work they are qualified for, and we do not penalise anyone for making a complaint in good faith.

6.11 On board conduct. You must follow the vessel's safety management procedures, the Master's lawful orders, company policies and your SEA.

6.12 Complaints. You may complain at any time, on board or ashore, under our Grievance Procedure. We acknowledge complaints within 2 working days and aim to complete our investigation within 7 working days. You may also contact the Department of Shipping, DGMA, the flag state or the port state.

6.13 Fraud. We do not recruit through social media, WhatsApp groups or Telegram, and our emails come only from addresses ending @skengineering-maritime.com. See our Anti-Fraud Warning.

7. Terms for Ship Owners and Principals

7.1 Crew requests. A crew request submitted on the Website is an enquiry, not a binding order. Services start only when we and the Principal agree scope, ranks, vessel details and commercial terms in a written Service Agreement or accepted crew proposal.

7.2 Our services. Within that scope we source and screen candidates, verify documents, arrange PEME, STCW courses and pre-joining briefings, prepare flag state endorsement applications, arrange travel and port coordination, administer payroll, and liaise with P&I clubs. We aim to send suitable candidate profiles for routine reliefs within 24 to 48 hours. This is a target, not a guarantee, and depends on rank, vessel type, flag and certificate requirements.

7.3 Fees. Our fees and payment terms are set in the Service Agreement. We never pass agency fees on to Seafarers.

7.4 Accurate information. You must give accurate vessel, trade, flag, rank and manning requirements, including the vessel's safe manning document, and tell us promptly of any change. We are not responsible for delay or cost caused by incomplete or late information.

7.5 Employment terms. The Principal or shipowner, not the Company, is the employer under the SEA unless the Service Agreement says otherwise. You must provide an SEA that meets MLC 2006 and any applicable collective bargaining agreement, including:

• wages paid in full at least monthly, with allotments as the Seafarer nominates;
• paid annual leave of at least 2.5 calendar days per month of employment;
• hours of work and rest within the limits of MLC 2006 and STCW, with records kept;
• decent accommodation, food and catering, and a safe vessel operated under a safety management system;
• on-board medical care, shore-side treatment, and valid P&I and crew insurance cover.

7.6 Financial security. You must hold, and show us on request, financial security for repatriation and abandonment (MLC Standard A2.5.2) and for contractual claims for death or long-term disability (MLC Standard A4.2), as those Standards require. Repatriation costs are borne by the shipowner, never by the Seafarer.

7.7 STCW duties of the company. You remain responsible for what STCW requires of a company, including ensuring each Seafarer holds the certificates the vessel and flag require, is familiarised with shipboard equipment and procedures before duty, and can communicate effectively with the rest of the crew (STCW Reg I/14). We check and supply certificates, but final acceptance and any flag state approval rest with you and the flag state.

7.8 Visa and travel costs. Visa costs, and travel and repatriation costs required by the SEA or the Convention, are borne by the shipowner and never by the Seafarer.

7.9 Replacement. If a Seafarer we placed is unsuitable or leaves early for a reason the Service Agreement covers, we will propose a replacement as that agreement states. Where it is silent, replacement is at our discretion and subject to availability.

7.10 Non-circumvention. During the Service Agreement and for the period it states afterwards, a Principal must not engage a Seafarer we introduced, other than through us, in a way that avoids our agreed fees. This does not stop a Seafarer from returning to the same shipowner through us.

7.11 Confidentiality. Each party must keep the other's non-public commercial information and Seafarers' personal data confidential, and use it only for the Services and as the law allows.

7.12 Compliance and ethics. Both parties must comply with applicable sanctions, anti-bribery, anti-slavery and human-rights laws. We may decline or stop work with a Principal we reasonably believe breaches the law, MLC 2006 or STCW, or asks us to charge fees to Seafarers or breach a Seafarer's rights.

8. Third parties and external links

8.1 Some Services depend on third parties we do not control, such as approved medical centres, training institutes, airlines and travel agents, flag state and port authorities, embassies and P&I clubs. We choose them with care, but their decisions, timing and charges are theirs.

8.2 The Website may link to other websites, including government sites. We are not responsible for their content or privacy practices.

9. Intellectual property

The Website's text, graphics, logos and software belong to the Company or its licensors and are protected by law. You may view and print pages for your own use or to assess our Services. You may not copy, republish, sell or reuse them for another business without our written permission.

10. Privacy and data

10.1 We handle personal data, including passport, CDC, certificate, medical, next-of-kin and bank details, as described in our Privacy Policy. By submitting a form you confirm you have read it.

10.2 We collect medical information only to assess fitness for sea service, and share it only with those who need it for that purpose.

10.3 We share Seafarer data only where needed for the Services: with the shipowner or Principal, flag state and port authorities, medical centres, training institutes, travel providers, P&I clubs and the Competent Authorities. We do not sell personal data.

10.4 If you give us personal data about another person, such as a next of kin, you confirm you may do so and have told them.

10.5 We keep records for the period our Privacy Policy states, and longer where the law requires. You may ask to see, correct or delete your data as the Privacy Policy explains.

11. Disclaimers

11.1 The Website gives general information. We work to keep it accurate and current but do not warrant that it is complete or error-free, and it is not legal, financial or maritime advice. References to conventions and national laws are for information; the official text of the regulator applies.

11.2 We screen and verify candidates with care, but we do not supervise Seafarers on board. The Master and the shipowner are responsible for operating the vessel, on-board supervision and safety management.

12. Limitation of liability

12.1 Rights that are not limited. Nothing in these Terms limits or excludes: liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence; liability for fraud or wilful misconduct; any right a Seafarer has under MLC 2006, STCW, the SEA or applicable law, including the right not to be charged fees and the right to be compensated for monetary loss caused by the failure of a recruitment and placement service; or any liability that the law does not allow us to limit.

12.2 Compensation for Seafarers. As MLC 2006 Standard A1.4 requires, we maintain insurance or an equivalent financial security to compensate Seafarers for monetary loss caused by our failure to meet our obligations.

12.3 Subject to 12.1, we are not liable for loss or damage arising from the acts or omissions of a shipowner, Principal, Master, third-party provider or authority; from delay or refusal by a flag state, port, embassy or airline; or for indirect or consequential loss, loss of profit or loss of business.

12.4 Subject to 12.1, our total liability to a Principal for a claim under a Service Agreement is limited to the amount that agreement states or, if it states none, the fees we received for the affected placement in the 12 months before the claim.

13. Indemnity and events beyond our control

13.1 A Principal will indemnify us against claims, losses and reasonable costs caused by its breach of these Terms or the Service Agreement, its inaccurate information, or its failure to meet its obligations to Seafarers under the SEA, MLC 2006 and STCW.

13.2 Neither party is liable for delay or failure caused by events beyond its reasonable control, such as war, sanctions, piracy, pandemic or health restrictions, port or border closures, strikes, natural disasters, government action or failure of utilities or communications. The affected party must tell the other promptly and take reasonable steps to limit the effect. Obligations to pay wages, repatriate Seafarers and protect their safety continue as the SEA and law require.

14. Suspension and termination

We may suspend or close a registration, portal account or Website access if you give false information or documents, breach these Terms, or put safety or compliance at risk. A Principal or Seafarer may end the relationship at any time by written notice, subject to any Service Agreement or SEA in force. Wages, repatriation and other accrued rights continue.

15. Changes to these Terms

We may update these Terms. The "Last updated" date shows the current version, and we will announce material changes on the Website. Continued use after an update means you accept it. An update does not change an SEA or Service Agreement already signed.

16. Governing law and disputes

16.1 Bangladesh. For matters handled by our Jamalpur office, these Terms are governed by the laws of Bangladesh, and the courts of Bangladesh have jurisdiction.

16.2 India. For matters handled by our Navi Mumbai office, these Terms are governed by the laws of India, and the competent courts in Maharashtra, India, have jurisdiction.

16.3 Principals. A Service Agreement may choose a different governing law or arbitration; if it does, that choice applies to disputes under that agreement.

16.4 Seafarers. Nothing here removes a Seafarer's right to complain to the Department of Shipping, DGMA, the flag state or the port state, or to bring a claim in any court or forum the law allows. We first try to settle disputes through our Grievance Procedure and good-faith discussion.

17. General

If any part of these Terms is held invalid, the rest stays in force. Our not enforcing a right is not a waiver of it. These Terms, with any Service Agreement, SEA and the documents they refer to, are the whole agreement on their subject. You may not assign your rights without our written consent.

18. Contact and notices

Send notices and questions to the office that handles your matter, or to info@skengineering-maritime.com. Notices by email are treated as received on the next working day.

Grievances and fraud reports: grievance@skengineering-maritime.com. Privacy requests: privacy@skengineering-maritime.com.