ON-BOARD COMPLAINT PROCEDURES
Complain about working and living conditions
As a seafarer, you are entitled to complain to your shipowner if you are dissatisfied with your working and living conditions. It is possible to submit complaints about ship service, conditions of employment, accommodation spaces, recreational facilities, health protection as well as the food on board.
It is the shipowner's responsibitlity that a written procedure is drawn up for treatment of employee complaints. All employees must, as an addition to their employment contract, be provided with a copy of the procedures on complaints on board the ship. Additionally, the Executive Order no. 42 of 14 May 2013 on handling of complaints on board Faroese ships must be available on board the ship.
Complaints are to be made to the seafarer’s superior. If he or she cannot solve the problem, he or she can proceed to the master or, alternatively, go directly to the master.
The complaint procedure must ensure that the complaint is promoted without any groundless delay to provide the employee with a reasonable possibility of bringing the complaint further. Each individual shipowner is responsible that the complaint procedures are reasonable, fast and efficient.
The complaint procedure drawn up must contain protective measures against the risk of victimization.
When a seafarer files a complaint, he or she is entitled to be accompanied or represented during the complaint procedure. The shipowner must give the seafarer a copy of the complaint and the decision that is taken as a result of the complaint.
An issue should, insofar as possible, always be dealt with and attempted resolved on board the ship. This will create a fast and efficient approach which is especially important when the ship is at sea. This is of benefit to both the seafarer and the shipowner.
All complaints and decisions related to the complaint must be recorded on board and the plaintiff must receive a copy.
If it is not possible to resolve the issue on board the ship, the complaint can be passed on to the Faroese Maritime Authority.
Complete confidentiality
Complaints submitted to the Faroese Maritime Authority will be kept completely confidential, and the The Faroese Maritime Authority will not disclose the name or any personal details about the seafarer who complains without his or her consent, just as the Faroese Maritime Authority will not inform whether an inspection of a ship is made due to a complaint.
Contact information
Person responsible: Jógvan Hentze
E-mail: Jogvanh@fma.fo
Tel: +298 35 56 18
After Hours On-Call No.: +298 33 31 98