New agreement on seafarers’ minimum wage emerges from ILO discussions

April 23 ------ Following a bipartite dialogue between shipowners and seafarers’ unions, the International Labor Organization (ILO) has wrapped up the latest round of negotiations concerning the minimum wage for able seafarers. As informed, an agreement was reached at a meeting of the Joint Maritime Commission’s (JMC) subcommittee. The session was held in Geneva, Switzerland, on April 14 and 15, 2025. The coordinators of the discussions were the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF). 

With the negotiations completed, the latest resolution has now laid out the framework for updated minimum wage levels. The document is planned to be submitted for approval by the 355th session of the ILO, which is scheduled for November this year. As disclosed, the newly agreed figures are: 

• $690 as of January 1, 2026; 

• $704 as of January 1, 2027; 

• $715 as of January 1, 2028. 

Building on the previous agreement, which was concluded in September 2022 and set the minimum at $673 as of January 1 this year, the brand-new wage structure marks an increase of more than 6%, according to the ICS. 

Pål Tangen, Norwegian Shipowners’ Association, who was spokesperson for the shipowners’ group, remarked that the agreement simultaneously “recognized the vital contribution of seafarers” and ensured the “commercial sustainability” of the worldwide maritime transportation industry. “Seafarers play an indispensable role in keeping world trade flowing, often under tough and unpredictable conditions. These are not ordinary times, and this resolution reflects our respect for their service, while ensuring that shipowners can continue to operate in a highly competitive and volatile global market,” Tangen elaborated. 

Speaking about the development, Frank Hagemann, Director of the ILO Sectoral Policies Department, further spotlighted: “The outcome of this global collective bargaining forum represents more than just a technical adjustment to the minimum wage. It reflects a shared responsibility and commitment to uphold decent work at sea.” 

The talks in Geneva come in the midst of tensions affecting global trade, particularly the Office of the United States Trade Representative’s (USTR) proposal targeting China’s dominance in the maritime industry, which the government agency said took an ‘enormous’ toll on United States commerce. 

After the initial manifesto of potentially charging a fee of up to $1.5 million for all Chinese-built vessels calling US ports, the shipping world braced for impact. However, it was announced on April 17, 2025—just two months after the first tariff strategy was unpacked—that the Trump administration would instead seek actions set out in two phases with much lower fees envisioned to enter force over “a reasonable period of time” to allow businesses to adjust.  

That said, the ICS has noted that all present parties during the recent discussions expressed concern about shipping’s status quo, with the prospect of a possible full-scale trade war threatening to “reshape trade completely” and cause as many as two million seafarers to get caught in the crosshairs of this conflict. As the organization’s representatives have concluded: “Seafarers must not be collateral victims of global economic conflict. We reaffirm that fair trade must also mean fair treatment for those who keep global trade moving.”  

Source: offshore-energy.biz