PETALING JAYA: Sebastian F. was away at sea when he was called by his employer and told he had to attend an upgrading course required for promotion to chief officer and captain.
But once he was back at port, he was told the training slot had been assigned to another seafarer. The company stopped communicating with him.
“They called me back halfway through my contract and then suddenly went silent. I was left without a salary and without being placed back on board,” said the 36-year-old.
Sebastian said seafarers need a union or body that protects them when companies breach obligations.
He said many seafarers, especially those new to the industry, are left vulnerable due to poor communication, contract disputes and limited support structures.
His comments followed a call by the Association of Malaysian Maritime Professionals (Ikmal) to urgently re-examine wages being offered to seafarers.
On Friday, Ikmal president Capt Abdul Aziz Abdullah said many Malaysian seafarers had opted to work for foreign-registered ships due to wage disparities at home.
Sebastian, who is a former navigation officer with seven years of experience, said a union is very much needed to protect seafarers, particularly when disputes arise between crew members and shipping companies.
“This is an industry where the problems are not seen on land.
“You go sailing, you come back. The problems are usually only known by the seafarer, their family members or close friends. Without a union, there is nobody standing up for you,” he said.
Sebastian, who began his maritime career at Akademi Laut Malaysia (Alam) after completing his SPM exam, rose from cadet to second officer and later moved to the offshore oil and gas sector.
He was also with an offshore vessel operator but lost his job in 2015 during the global oil price crash.
Sebastian, now a marketing director of a shipping and logistics company, said more than 300 contract staff were let go in a day. None of them had union help.
He said that while seafaring was a lucrative profession with opportunities to travel the world, the industry’s long-term sustainability remained a concern.
The former officer said young Malaysians may still be attracted to the industry because of the high pay, but stressed the need for proper career planning and better worker representation.
“They need guidance, and the industry needs stronger protection for its people,” he said.
