Seafarers’ Welfare Fund Society

₹10,000/month ex-gratia support paid to the nominee for the maximum for 12 months or till the period of abandonment of the seafarer, whichever is earlier, in respect of stranded/abandoned Bonafide seafarers. (amended to ₹20,000/- per month for families of seafarers abandoned/stranded on or after 01.01.2026).
Applicable for stranded / abandoned on or after 12.03.2025.
Assistance is paid after 2 months of being stranded, based on confirmation from Govt. authorities.
Application to be submitted within 2 months from date of stranded / abandonment.

1. Pursuant to the objects of the Seafarers’ Welfare Fund Society (herein after referred to as the SWF Society) as defined in Article 3(XV) of the Memorandum of Association of the Society, the nominee(s) of the Indian seafarer, as being eligible in terms of provisions of rule 3 herein below, may be granted the financial assistance under the ‘Ex-Gratia Support Benefit Scheme (ESBS)’, under the circumstances and to the extent detailed herein below.
2. Such financial assistance on being stranded / abandoned of an Indian seafarer shall be granted at the absolute discretion of the society and such financial assistance may be dispensed with and / or curtailed /enhanced, suspended or completely withdrawn at any time without any prior notice. The availability of such financial assistance under the ‘Ex- Gratia Support Benefit Scheme’ to the eligible beneficiary of the stranded/abandoned seafarer does not in any manner confer or create any prescriptive right whatsoever and shall not be called in question.

3. The financial assistance under the ‘Ex-Gratia Support Benefit Scheme’ will be paid to the seafarer’s next of kin of Standard/abandoned, by their owners/ employers/RPSL till their standard period or maximum of 12 months whichever is earlier. The Seafarers Welfare Fund Society will obtain the Bonafide of Stranded seafarers’ details from the Shipping Master i.e. from Govt. Shipping Office / Seamen’s Employment Office / D.G. Shipping (Crew Branch), & on their confirmation about the date from which the seafarer stranded & the next of kin details / family details, the assistance shall be paid by the SWFS to the next of kin of the stranded seafarers, after two months from the date of being stranded/ abandonment.

4. The quantum of financial assistance under this scheme shall be ₹.10,000/- per month (Rs. Ten Thousand only Per month) or maximum of ₹.1,20,000/- (Rs. One lac Twenty Thousand only) for 12 months period, whichever is earlier, which will be paid as ‘Ex- gratia support’ to the Standard seafarer’s family. (amended to ₹20,000/- p.m. for the family of those seafarers who are stranded/abandoned on or after 1.1.2026)

5. The Ex-Gratia Support under this Scheme will be commenced only after 2 months from the date of being stranded/abandonment of seafarer or as directed by the Shipping Master/ Director, Seamen's Employment Office / Deputy Director General of Shipping (Crew Branch).
6. For the clarification about stranded and abandonment of seafarers, the Society will follow the definition as given in ILO-MLC Rules.
7. The Seafarers Welfare Fund Society will obtain the Bonafide of Stranded seafarers’ details from the Shipping Master i.e. Govt. Shipping Office OR Seamen’s Employment Office OR Directorate General of Shipping (Crew Branch), and on their confirmation about the Bonafide employment of the seafarer and the date from which the seafarer Stranded / abandoned & the nomination details / family details, the assistance shall be paid by the SWFS to the family of stranded seafarers, as per rule 5 above.
8. Application for financial assistance under this scheme is to be made in the prescribed form along with documents as given in the application form to prove the eligibility and identity and submitted to the SWFS within 2 months from the date of being stranded/abandonment of the seafarer.
9. Notwithstanding anything contained herein above in all doubtful/disputed and/or exceptional cases, the Committee of Management (the COM) of the SWF Society may examine and decide the cases, on case-to-case basis, and its decision shall be final.