Why GDPR Matters for Seafarers
The maritime industry handles extraordinarily sensitive personal data. A typical crew file held by a crewing agency might include passport and visa copies, ENG1 and STCW certificates, employment references, medical history summaries, bank account details and even disciplinary records.
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) applies to any organisation handling data about EU residents — regardless of where the organisation is based.
Your Key Rights Under GDPR
Right to Access
You have the right to request a complete copy of all personal data an organisation holds about you — a Subject Access Request (SAR). The organisation must respond within 30 days free of charge. This includes your CV, references, interview notes, disciplinary records, and communication records.
Right to Rectification
If data held about you is inaccurate, you have the right to have it corrected. This is particularly important for employment records.
Right to Erasure (the "Right to be Forgotten")
You can request that an organisation deletes all data held about you — for example, if the data is no longer necessary for the purpose it was collected. However, organisations may retain data where they have a legitimate legal obligation.
Right to Data Portability
You can request your data in a machine-readable format (e.g. CSV or JSON) so you can transfer it to another service.
How MaritimeCrew Pro Handles Your Data
- ✓ Passwords are hashed with bcrypt and never stored in plain text
- ✓ Your contact details are only visible to verified employer accounts
- ✓ Your salary expectations are never displayed publicly
- ✓ You can delete your account and all data at any time from your dashboard
- ✓ We do not sell personal data to third parties
- ✗ We do not share your data with advertisers
- ✗ We do not use your data to train AI systems
What to Do If Your Rights Are Violated
- Contact the Data Protection Officer (DPO) of the organisation directly
- Escalate to your national supervisory authority — in the UK, the ICO (ico.org.uk); in France, the CNIL; in the Netherlands, the AP
- Seek legal advice — data protection lawyers can advise on claims for compensation
Document everything. Keep copies of your access requests, responses, and any communications. These records are essential if you need to escalate a complaint.
Practical Steps to Protect Yourself
- Before signing with any crewing agency, ask for a copy of their Privacy Policy and Data Retention Policy
- Be cautious of agencies that ask for original documents rather than certified copies
- Periodically submit SARs to agencies that hold your file
- When you leave an agency, formally request deletion of your file if you no longer wish them to market you