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Social security for seafarers

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Are you in your capacity as shipowner considering registering a number of seafarers on the Pool List? Have you lost your job and are you entitled to a tideover allowance? Or are you no longer working as a seafarer and do you wish to apply for a suspension?

Use the Digital counter of the Social Security for Seafarers to handle all your requests in a secure way.

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Pool List

Register on the Pool List to be entitled to social security for seafarers. Registration is compulsory for seafarers and shore-goers who wish to be employed in merchant shipping under the Belgian system.

Here you can find information about:

Administrative instructions for shipowners

Seafarers fall under a special social security regime. You can find the regulations on the collection of social security contributions in merchant shipping in the administrative instructions for shipowners:

Training for life at sea

As a marine student you can be hired on a sea ship during the summer holidays to train for life at sea. To do so, you must fulfil a number of conditions.

As a shipowner, you have legal obligations when it comes to training voyages.

Unemployment

Have you unintentionally become unemployed without pay? If you are registered on the Pool List and fall under the social security regime for seafarers, you are entitled to a tideover allowance.

Illness and disability

As long as you are registered on the Pool List, you are insured against illness and disability under the regime for seafarers. In certain situations, there is also continued insurance.

All information can be found on the Seafarer web page of the HZIV/CAAMI (in French).

Pensions

Shore-goers and seafarers registered on the Pool List are entitled to an employee pension under the special regime for seafarers. The website of the Federal Pensions Service offers the following information:

You can request the supplementary amount for voyages in times of war on the Seafarer web page of the HZIV/CAAMI (in French).

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About social security for seafarers

In Belgium, persons employed as crew aboard sea ships are subject to the special social security regime for seafarers in merchant shipping. The regime does not apply to sea fisheries or crews of sea ships of the federal and regional authorities.

Read more about social security for seafarers