Merchant Shipping Act 1995 · 2020 Revised Edition · Part 4 · Crew Matters
85. Relief and repatriation of seaman left behind
Feedback & supportWhere a person employed as a seaman on a ship is left behind in any country or is taken to any country on being shipwrecked, the person who last employed that person as a seaman must make such provision for the seaman’s return and for the seaman’s relief and maintenance as may be required by regulations.
seaman
“seaman” includes every person employed or engaged in any capacity on board a ship on the business of the ship, other than —(a)the master of the ship;(b)a pilot; or(c)a person temporarily employed on the ship in port;
The regulations to be so made may include the repayment of expenses incurred in bringing a shipwrecked seaman ashore and maintaining the seaman until the seaman is brought ashore and the payment of the expenses of the burial or cremation of a seaman who dies before he or she can be returned.
The Authority may, with the approval of the Minister, make regulations providing for the manner in which any wages due to any person left behind or taken to any country as mentioned in subsection (1) and any property of the person left on board the ship are to be dealt with.
Without limiting subsections (1), (2) and (3), regulations made under this section may make provision —
for requiring the master of any ship to convey a person to a place determined in accordance with the regulations and for enabling the Director to give the master directions for that purpose;
for the making of payments in respect of the conveyance of a person in accordance with the regulations; and
for the keeping of records and the rendering of accounts.
This section also applies to a person left behind on being discharged pursuant to section 55, whether or not at the time the person is left behind the ship is still registered in Singapore.
ship
“ship” means any kind of vessel used in navigation by water, however propelled or moved and includes —(a)a barge, lighter or other floating vessel;(b)an air-cushion vehicle, or other similar craft, used wholly or primarily in navigation by water; and(c)an off-shore industry mobile unit;