Seagoing Industry Award

If you operate cargo, passenger or research vessels proceeding to sea connected with Australia and employ seagoing crew who are not otherwise award-free, the Seagoing Industry Award 2020 (MA000122) generally applies to those seafarers. It covers deck, engine room and catering crew on ships such as cargo carriers, tankers and passenger and research vessels. Shore-based work and some specialised vessels fall under other awards, and offshore oil-and-gas support vessels are carved out to the Maritime Offshore Oil and Gas Award (MA000086), so confirm coverage for each role against the Fair Work source.

MA000122 sets minimum rates against classifications reflecting a seafarer's department, rank and qualifications, from ratings through to more senior roles. You assign each crew member to the classification matching their actual role and rank, then pay at least that minimum rate. Because pay is structured around continuous service at sea, read the award carefully on how ordinary and additional hours are built into the rate, and confirm the current figure on the Fair Work Pay Calculator.

Seagoing crew work continuous cycles at sea then take leave ashore, so the award is built around the voyage or swing rather than a standard shore week. Ordinary hours, additional hours worked at sea, and leave all accrue across the cycle. This is a key difference from shore-based awards and a common source of error if a normal weekly roster is assumed. Apply the award's voyage-based provisions and confirm figures against the Fair Work source.

Seafarers may be engaged on a permanent, fixed-term or voyage basis. Where casual-style engagement applies, a loading is paid in place of leave and other permanent entitlements; across modern awards that loading is commonly 25%, but treat it as a guide only. The seagoing award has its own engagement and pay mechanics tied to the voyage framework, so confirm the exact terms for your engagement type against the Fair Work source before running pay.

Because crew are aboard continuously, the award handles weekend work and hours beyond the ordinary aggregate through its own voyage-based mechanics rather than simple daily penalties. As a general guide across awards weekend loadings run around 25% on Saturday and 50% on Sunday, but the seagoing award applies its own figures within the swing structure. Confirm how additional hours and weekend work at sea are compensated for your crew on the Fair Work source.

Public holiday entitlements flow from the National Employment Standards and the award, adapted to continuous service at sea. As a guide, public holiday work across awards can attract penalties of up to 150%, but the seagoing award determines what actually applies to a public holiday worked during a voyage, often through additional payment or compensating leave. Verify the current public holiday entitlement for crew on the Fair Work Pay Calculator before finalising pay.

Rather than a simple daily overtime trigger, MA000122 deals with hours worked beyond the ordinary aggregate during a voyage through its own provisions, which can include additional payment or compensating leave accrued across the cycle. The exact treatment depends on the classification and the voyage arrangement. Identify which hours count as additional for each crew member and confirm how they are compensated against the Fair Work source.

Seagoing crew accrue leave across the voyage cycle and take it ashore between swings, so the leave owing builds up over the whole tour rather than on a simple shore-based calendar. Tracking the accrual accurately across each swing is essential so that crew are paid the correct balance on sign-off. Confirm how leave accrues and is paid under the award, and check any figures involved against the Fair Work source.

The award provides for allowances relevant to life and work at sea, which can apply to particular duties, conditions or circumstances aboard. Because seagoing work is distinctive, the allowance structure differs from shore-based awards. Identify which allowances apply to each crew member's role and voyage, and confirm the current amounts on the Fair Work Pay Calculator, as they change with the annual review.

Annual leave loading is an extra payment on top of base pay when paid annual leave is taken, and across awards it is commonly 17.5%. Under the seagoing award, leave accrues across the voyage cycle and is taken ashore, so the loading applies within that framework to eligible crew. Confirm whether and how leave loading applies to your crew's leave, and check the calculation against the Fair Work source.

Minimum rates and allowances are reviewed each year in the Fair Work Commission's Annual Wage Review and take effect from the first full pay period on or after 1 July. The 2026 review increased modern award minimums by 4.75%. With long voyages and consolidated pay it is easy to miss the change, so apply the new rates from the correct pay period and verify the current figures for each classification on the Fair Work Pay Calculator each year.

Pay under MA000122 is geared to continuous service at sea, often consolidating ordinary hours and a base level of sea-going work into the rate, with leave accruing across the voyage and taken ashore between swings. This differs markedly from a shore-based weekly wage, so it is important to read the award's voyage provisions rather than assume a standard structure. Confirm the current rate for each classification on the Fair Work Pay Calculator.

Start by confirming each crew member's correct department, rank and classification, then apply the award's voyage-based provisions for ordinary hours, additional sea time, weekend and public holiday work, leave accrual across the swing, and any allowances, refreshing every figure from the Fair Work Pay Calculator after each 1 July increase. Accurate voyage and swing records are essential. Valont runs award-compliant payroll for employers like vessel operators, mapping crew, classifications and voyage cycles to the correct rates so the right amount is paid every cycle.

Crew on vessels servicing offshore oil and gas facilities are covered by the Maritime Offshore Oil and Gas Award.