Singapore legislation
Regulation 8
of Merchant Shipping (Maritime Labour Convention) (Wages) Regulations 2014
Regulation 8
Deductions from wages
Subregulation 1
Subject to paragraph (5), the deductions specified in paragraph (2) are authorised to be made from the wages due to a seafarer under a seafarer’s employment agreement.
Subregulation 2
The deductions referred to in paragraph (1) are —
deductions of any amount payable by the seafarer to his employer in respect of —
bar bills;
goods supplied;
radio or telephone calls;
postage expenses;
cash advances; and
allotments; and
contributions by the seafarer to a fund or in respect of membership of a body declared by regulations under section 60(3) of the Merchant Shipping Act (Cap. 179) to be a fund or body to which section 60 of that Act applies.
Subregulation 3
The deductions made under this regulation shall be —
without prejudice to any dispute relating to the amount payable to a seafarer under the seafarer’s employment agreement and, subject to the provisions of the Act, to the rights and obligations, whether of the employer or of the seafarer, under the seafarer’s employment agreement or otherwise; and
in addition to any other deduction authorised by the Act or any other written law.
Subregulation 4
No person shall make any deduction from wages due to a seafarer under his seafarer’s employment agreement in respect of obtaining or retaining employment unless the deduction is required to be made by order of a court or other authority competent to make such an order.
Subregulation 5
A deduction under paragraph (2) shall not be made from the wages due to a seafarer under a seafarer’s employment agreement unless the deduction is expressly permitted to be made under the terms of the seafarer’s employment agreement or by order of a court or other authority competent to make such an order.
Subregulation 6
No deduction other than any deduction authorised under these Regulations or any other written law shall be made from the wages due to a seafarer unless the deduction is required to be made by order of a court or other authority competent to make such an order.
Subregulation 7
Any shipowner or seafarer recruitment and placement service who contravenes paragraph (4), (5) or (6) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000.