Every person working on board ship must have a certificate attesting to his fitness for the work for which he is to be employed at sea (ILO 1946). He must be in good health and is not allowed to have any disease likely to be aggravated on board ship or to endanger the health of other persons on board.

Guidelines are intended to assist medical practitioners, ship-owners or Ship Managers, Ship manning Agents, seafarers, seafarers’ representatives and other relevant persons with the conduct of medical fitness examinations of serving seafarers and seafarer candidates’.