reg 23 Prohibition on recovering costs from seafarer
(1) Subject to paragraph (2), a shipowner must not enter into an agreement with a seafarer under which the seafarer must make payment in respect of either— (a) repatriation costs; or (b) relief and maintenance costs. (2) A seafarer employment agreement may provide that the seafarer must reimburse repatriation costs where the agreement is terminated because of the seafarer's serious misconduct. (3) If a seafarer employment agreement contains provision described in paragraph (2) and that obligation arises, a deduction equivalent to those costs may be made from the wages due to the seafarer under that agreement. (4) If a seafarer employment agreement does not contain provision such as that described in paragraph (2), the shipowner may only recover the costs described in paragraph (1) (or damages in respect of such costs) where the agreement is terminated because of the seafarer's serious misconduct. (5) A breach of paragraph (1) is an offence by the shipowner. (6) An agreement is void to the extent it provides that a seafarer must make a payment to the shipowner in respect of either repatriation costs or relief and maintenance costs in breach of paragraph (1).