New agreement on seafarers' minimum wage emerges from ILO discussions

Following a bipartite dialogue between shipowners and seafarers’ unions, the International Labour 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.