Shipping Master

The Shipping Master is an officer of MACI who is appointed under the Maritime Authority Law to deal with crew issues including complaints and disputes on Cayman Islands vessels. This includes wage disputes. The Shipping Master also handles inquiries into the conduct and fitness of seafarers to serve, as well as births and deaths onboard Cayman Islands vessels.

Main Areas of Responsibility

The Shipping Master primarily deals with crew issues including complaints regarding things such as accommodation, food, repatriation, working hours, payment of medical expenses and mediating on wage disputes. The Shipping Master is available to all crew on all vessels, even those that are fully privately registered where the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) may not apply.

The Shipping Master plays an active role in disputes to protect the interests of both the ship-owner and the seafarer and strives to ensure that both parties can reach a mutually satisfactory solution to any dispute. When reporting a complaint or a dispute, it is important to provide the Shipping Master with as much information as possible including a copy of the contract, any supporting information, a contact to speak to on your behalf and express permission to do so.

Whilst mediation by the Shipping Master is generally successful, sometimes a resolution cannot be found. In this case, there are two options. One is a legal route. The second alternative is that both parties request the Shipping Master to make a binding decision regarding the dispute. In these cases, the Shipping Master reviews submissions from both parties and then makes a ruling. Under the Law this ruling is legally binding.

Contact the Shipping Master or telephone the UK Office of MACI.

When a birth or death occurs on a Cayman Islands vessel or ashore, it must be reported to MACI (contact the Shipping Master or Reporting).

Death Inquiries

When a death occurs, the Shipping Master will undertake an inquiry into the death, as required by the Merchant Shipping Law. This inquiry could be via correspondence or may require an on scene investigation. Once the investigation is completed, the Shipping Master will inform the Registrar of Births and Deaths in the Cayman Islands.

Report a Death – Download PDF

Any death of a seafarer, occasional worker or passenger; whether on board, ashore or elsewhere should be reported by the master of the vessel using “Form RD 1” to the Shipping Master at the Cayman Islands Shipping Registry within three days of the death. [form attached above]. This does not apply to deaths by accident. Whilst the full information may not be readily at hand, it will help to have copies of any death certificates, the Official Log Book entries and a detailed report on the circumstances leading to and immediately after the death to assist in the inquiry. Where any death is the result of an accident, please refer to Casualty Investigations.

Report a Birth – Download PDF

Any birth on a Cayman Islands ship should be reported by the master of the vessel using “Form RB 1” to the Shipping Master at the Cayman Islands Shipping Registry within seven days of the birth.

Contact the Shipping Master