Before a Filipino seafarer boards a vessel, two contracts are quietly shaping the journey ahead — the Seafarer’s Employment Agreement (SEA) and the DMW Standard Employment Contract (formerly POEA).

Many focus on the SEA because it states the salary, rank, and contract duration. But when illness, injury, disability, or repatriation issues arise, a deeper question emerges:

Which contract carries greater legal weight?

In this episode of Seafarers Way, Captain Rommel breaks down the relationship between the SEA and the DMW contract — clearly, calmly, and without blame.

You will understand:

• The difference between company-issued SEA terms and government-mandated protections
• Why the DMW Standard Employment Contract sets the minimum legal floor
• When SEA provisions can apply — and when they cannot
• How misunderstandings about contracts lead to unnecessary disputes
• Why clarity before boarding prevents problems after repatriation

This episode is not about attacking companies.
It is not about creating fear.

It is about understanding protection — professionally.

Because contracts do not begin when problems happen.
They begin the moment you sign.

And clarity protects careers.

Seafarers Way
Between ship and shore — through understanding.

Before a vessel sails…
Before an alarm rings…
Before an investigation begins…

there is already a system at work.

In this episode of Seafarers Way, Captain Rommel reflects on the ISM Code — not as a compliance requirement, but as a promise.

A promise that safety does not depend on one tired officer.
A promise that responsibility does not stop at the gangway.
A promise that when pressure rises, someone ashore is accountable too.

This is not an audit discussion.
This is a conversation about fatigue, authority, silence, and courage.

Because the real test of the ISM Code is not during calm seas.

It is in that quiet moment…
when a seafarer asks himself,

“Should I speak up?”

If you are at sea —
or supporting those at sea —

this episode is for you.

— Capt. Rommel
Seafarers Way

Behind every email marked “URGENT”…
Behind every reminder about drills, documentation, or compliance…
There is a system working to protect the vessel — and the people on board.

In this episode of Seafarers Way, Capt. Rommel explores the perspective of the Ship Manager — not as “the office,” but as the team responsible for technical operations, crew management, safety implementation, audit readiness, and commercial coordination.

Why do ship managers sound strict?
Why do they push for documentation even when the crew is exhausted?
Who do they answer to?
And most importantly — how does proper ship management actually benefit the seafarer?

Grounded in international maritime practice and global standards such as:

• International Maritime Organization

• ISM Code

• SOLAS

• STCW Convention

• Maritime Labour Convention

This episode does not discuss any specific company, vessel, or incident.
It focuses on general international shipping practices and shared operational realities.

If you are a seafarer who has ever felt frustrated by shore-based instructions — this episode will help you understand the pressures on the other side.

If you are a superintendent, crew manager, or shore professional — this episode is a reminder of where you came from.

Because between ship and shore…
understanding is stronger than blame.

🎙 Hosted by Capt. Rommel
📌 Follow Seafarers Way on Spotify & Apple Podcasts
🔁 Share this episode with one crewmate — and one colleague ashore

STCW – The Standard Behind Every Seafarer

Before a seafarer boards a ship…
Before the first watch…
Before the first order is given on the bridge or in the engine room…

There is already a standard at work.

In this episode of Seafarers Way, Captain Rommel breaks down STCW – the Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping—not as a legal document, not as a checklist of courses, but as what it truly is:
the global foundation of competence, safety, and life at sea.

Many seafarers know STCW only through certificates and renewals.
But few understand why it exists, what it protects, and who it is really for.

This episode explains:

• Why STCW was created and why it became a global standard

• What training, certification, and watchkeeping really mean in practice

• Why rest hours and fatigue are central to safety

• What STCW guarantees—and what it does not

• How STCW quietly works in the background of every voyage

STCW is not about paperwork.
It does not promise employment or promotion.

It demands competence—because the sea does not forgive shortcuts.

This episode is for:

• Cadets trying to understand their first certificates

• Officers renewing and upgrading their licenses

• Ratings standing long watches

• And shore personnel who once sailed and should never forget life onboard

STCW is written from lessons learned the hard way.
And every time you stand a watch at 2 a.m., it is there—protecting the ship, the crew, and your chance to come home safely.

This is Seafarers Way.
Real talk. Real standards. Real life at sea.

When Health, Life, and Family Are Involved

Some parts of the contract are meant to be understood long before they are ever needed.

In the final episode of SEAFARERS WAY – The Contract at Sea, Captain Rommel discusses the most serious provisions of the POEA/DMW Standard Terms and Conditions—those covering injury, illness, disability, death, and occupational diseases.

This episode covers:

• What makes an injury or illness work-related

• Medical treatment and sickness allowance

• The importance of post-employment medical reporting

• Disability grading and compensation

• Benefits for death and dependents

• Occupational diseases and long-term health risks

This episode is not meant to create fear.
It is meant to create understanding—for seafarers, families, and those working ashore.

Because when something serious happens,
the contract becomes the seafarer’s voice.

Every seafarer signs on—but signing off is where questions often begin.

In this episode of SEAFARERS WAY – The Contract at Sea, Captain Rommel explains how the POEA/DMW Standard Terms and Conditions govern termination of employment, sign-off, and repatriation, and why ending a contract is not always as simple as finishing a tour.

This episode covers:

• When a contract normally ends and why arrival at the point of hire matters

• Sign-off due to medical reasons

• Termination due to shipwreck, vessel sale, lay-up, or change of principal

• What wages and benefits are due when termination is not the seafarer’s fault

• Why clarity at the end of a contract protects both sides

This episode is not about disputes or blame.
It is about understanding how contracts are meant to end—fairly, clearly, and with dignity.

Because how a voyage ends matters just as much as how it begins.

Every seafarer signs on—but signing off is where questions often begin.

In this episode of SEAFARERS WAY – The Contract at Sea, Captain Rommel explains how the POEA/DMW Standard Terms and Conditions govern termination of employment, sign-off, and repatriation, and why ending a contract is not always as simple as finishing a tour.

This episode covers:

• When a contract normally ends and why arrival at the point of hire matters

• Sign-off due to medical reasons

• Termination due to shipwreck, vessel sale, lay-up, or change of principal

• What wages and benefits are due when termination is not the seafarer’s fault

• Why clarity at the end of a contract protects both sides

This episode is not about disputes or blame.
It is about understanding how contracts are meant to end—fairly, clearly, and with dignity.

Because how a voyage ends matters just as much as how it begins.

Problems at sea are unavoidable. How they are handled makes the difference.

In this episode of SEAFARERS WAY – The Contract at Sea, Captain Rommel discusses how the POEA/DMW Standard Terms and Conditions provide a clear process for grievances, discipline, and investigations onboard—and why following that process protects both the seafarer and the ship.

This episode covers:

• Why the contract includes a grievance machinery

• Where and how a seafarer should raise concerns onboard

• The importance of written complaints and documentation

• The role of the Master in handling unresolved issues

• How investigations and disciplinary actions are supposed to be conducted

• Why fairness at sea depends on procedure, not emotion

This is not about encouraging conflict or confrontation.
It is about understanding the proper way to speak up, protect yourself, and maintain professionalism in a confined shipboard environment.

Because at sea, silence can make problems grow—
but process keeps them contained.

Problems at sea are unavoidable. How they are handled makes the difference.

In this episode of SEAFARERS WAY – The Contract at Sea, Captain Rommel discusses how the POEA/DMW Standard Terms and Conditions provide a clear process for grievances, discipline, and investigations onboard—and why following that process protects both the seafarer and the ship.

This episode covers:

• Why the contract includes a grievance machinery

• Where and how a seafarer should raise concerns onboard

• The importance of written complaints and documentation

• The role of the Master in handling unresolved issues

• How investigations and disciplinary actions are supposed to be conducted

• Why fairness at sea depends on procedure, not emotion

This is not about encouraging conflict or confrontation.
It is about understanding the proper way to speak up, protect yourself, and maintain professionalism in a confined shipboard environment.

Because at sea, silence can make problems grow—
but process keeps them contained.

Time at sea feels endless—but the contract measures every hour.

In this episode of SEAFARERS WAY – The Contract at Sea, Captain Rommel explains how the POEA/DMW Standard Terms and Conditions define basic wage, payment timing, allotments, working hours, overtime, rest, leave pay, and shore leave—and why many misunderstandings onboard start with time and pay.

This episode discusses:

• What “basic wage” really means—and why it matters

• When wages are paid and until when employment continues

• Why allotments are mandatory and how they protect families

• Regular working hours versus overtime

• Emergency duties, rest periods, and holidays at sea

• Leave pay and shore leave—what the contract allows and why

This is not a discussion about complaints or disputes.
It is a calm, seafarer-to-seafarer conversation about understanding how work and time are structured under the contract—so expectations remain clear on both ship and shore.

Because your time has value.
And knowing your contract does not make you difficult—it makes you prepared.