The UAE has made insurance coverage for sailors mandatory, allowing compensation in case of delayed payments, abandonment by ship owners, and death or injuries sustained in the line of work.

 

According to the UAE’s Federal Transport Authority (FTA), all ships carrying the country’s flag, as well as foreign-owned ships weighing over 200 tonnes operating in its waters, must provide insurance for their crew, Gulf News reported. Shipowners must present proof of insurance before they are granted permission to operate in the country, it said.

 

“The sailors should be compensated in the event of injuries during work and deported to their countries in case of abandonment by the ship owner and their delayed salaries should be covered,” the FTA said.

 

The authority added that the UAE is the first country in the region to adopt this stance, in line with recent amendments to the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC). The UAE is set to ratify the convention, which becomes effective on February 20.

 

“This is a major step in an area where seafarers have been regularly exploited by ship owners which must stop immediately,” said the FTA.

 

Several maritime transport organisations and foreign governments have hailed the move. Every year, hundreds of sailors are left stranded and without pay in the UAE and its waters after being abandoned by shipowners.