Social security for seafarers

Process your requests securely through the digital counter

Are you a shipowner and intend to register seafarers in the Pool list? Have you lost your job and are entitled to a tideover allowance? Or are you no longer working as a seafarer and do wish to apply for a suspension?

Use the Digital counter of the Social Security for Seafarers to handle all your requests in a secure way.

Digital counter

Pool List

Register on the Pool List to be entitled to social security for seafarers. Registration is compulsory for seafarers and shoregangers who wish to be employed in merchant shipping under the Belgian system.

Here you can find information about:

• Registration
• Suspension
• Cancellation

Administrative instructions for shipowners

Seafarers fall under a special social security regime. You can find the regulations on the collection of social security contributions in merchant shipping in the administrative instructions for shipowners:

• About the administrative instructions
• Flag principle
• Exceptions to the flag principle
• Basis on which contributions are calculated
• Summary of contributions
• Exemption from employer's contributions

Training for life at sea

As a marine student you can be hired on a sea ship during the summer holidays to train for life at sea. To do so, you must fulfil a number of conditions.

As a shipowner, you have legal obligations when it comes to training voyages.

• About training for life at sea
• General instructions on training for life at sea for marine students, deck and machine department

Unemployment

Have you unintentionally become unemployed without pay? If you are registered on the Pool List and if you fall under the social security regime for seafarers, you are entitled to a tideover allowance.

Illness and disability

As long as you are registered on the Pool List, you are insured against illness and disability under the regime for seafarers. Under certain circumstances, extended cover is also available.

All information can be found on the Seafarer web page of the HZIV/CAAMI (in French).

Pensions

Shoregangers and seafarers registered on the Pool List are entitled to an employee pension under the special regime for seafarers. The website of the Federal Pensions Service offers the following information:

• Who is entitled under the regime for seafarers (in French)
• Pension age (in French)
• Pension calculation (in French)
• Eligible periods (in French)

You can request the supplementary amount for voyages in times of war on the Seafarer web page of the HZIV/CAAMI (in French).