Recruitment, employment contracts, payroll, leave and absence tracking and training programmes for the people who run your yacht — administered by one regulated Malta team.
A yacht runs on its crew. Recruiting them, employing them properly, paying them on time and keeping their certification current is a continuous task that sits squarely with the owner. zeta. takes it on: we recruit and screen candidates, draft and review employment contracts, run payroll, track leave and absences, and build the training programmes that keep a crew qualified.
Crew are usually the largest recurring cost on a yacht and, handled loosely, the largest source of administrative exposure.
Review Your ArrangementsEvery crew member should be engaged under a written agreement covering role and rank, remuneration, working and rest arrangements, leave, repatriation and termination. Where terms are vague — or carried over from an unrelated vessel — disagreements surface mid-season, mid-charter or during a sale.
Crew are often drawn from several countries, and where each pays tax and social security contributions depends on their circumstances and on the arrangements in place. We run the payroll, keep the records and coordinate the position with the owner's advisors, alongside the owning company's own accounting, tax and payroll.
Crew documentation has a shelf life. Certificates of competency, medical certificates, endorsements and travel documents all expire, and a lapsed document can cost a departure slot or complicate an inspection.
Malta is an EU member state with an established employment framework and a mature maritime administration, and internationally recognised standards apply to seafarers on vessels flying its flag. What applies in a given case depends on the vessel, its trading pattern and the individual, so we advise case by case. For registration, see Maritime & Yachting.
Finding the right people is only half of it. Verifying them, documenting them and getting them on board properly is the other half.
We streamline the journey from interviewing to screening, ensuring a thorough assessment of prospective candidates. Our dedicated approach includes collecting all necessary documents, easing the administrative burden and facilitating a comprehensive evaluation of potential crew members. With our assistance, the recruitment process becomes efficient, thorough, and tailored to meet the specific needs and standards of yacht ownership, allowing you to assemble a skilled and qualified crew with confidence.
An unverified certificate or an unchecked reference surfaces later, usually in front of an inspector, an insurer or a charter guest. Checking the paperwork at the point of hire costs less than reconstructing it afterwards.
Contracts that say what they should say, and payroll that runs to a cycle rather than to a reminder.
We offer comprehensive employment services, from drafting and reviewing employment contracts to providing payroll solutions. Our approach includes tracking crew leave and absences, ensuring strict compliance with employment regulations. With our support, you can navigate the complexities of employment seamlessly, confident in the accuracy of contracts and the adherence to regulatory standards, allowing you to focus on the smooth operation of your maritime ventures.
We draft crew employment agreements and review contracts already in place, so the owner knows what has been committed to. Where a contract came with the vessel, a review before the next season is time well spent — terms drafted for a different flag, operating pattern or crew size rarely transfer cleanly.
Payroll runs to a fixed cycle, with payslips, records and the reporting the owning company needs. Because we also act as corporate administrator, crew payroll feeds directly into the vessel's accounting and reporting.
Employment obligations do not pause because a yacht is laid up for the winter. Contracts run on, leave accrues and contributions generally remain due unless the arrangement is formally changed.
Rotation, accrued leave and unplanned absence are easy to lose track of on a vessel that keeps moving. We keep the record, so owner and captain work from the same numbers.
A running record of entitlement and accrual, so the position is known before leave is requested rather than reconstructed afterwards.
Where crew work rotations, we track who is on, who is off and when cover will be needed — in front of the captain and the owner, not in someone's head.
Unplanned absence recorded as it happens, with supporting documentation retained on file, so the payroll treatment follows the facts.
A clear summary of leave taken, leave outstanding and absence patterns, produced alongside the regular management reporting.
Leave records are among the first things asked for when a crew disagreement arises or a vessel changes hands. Keeping them contemporaneously is easier than proving them later.
A crew that stays qualified is a crew that stays employable — and a vessel whose manning position stays intact through the season.
Empower your crew with our expertise in establishing robust training programmes aligned with current regulations. Our team ensures that all crew members maintain optimal qualifications and skills through tailored training initiatives. We focus on creating comprehensive programmes that address evolving industry standards, guaranteeing that your crew remains proficient and compliant. With our assistance, you can cultivate a skilled and well-prepared team, ready to navigate the dynamic challenges of the maritime landscape while meeting regulatory requirements with confidence.
We work from the vessel and the crew you actually have: the roles on board, the qualifications each calls for, what each crew member holds and when it expires. From that we build a programme that supports the vessel's operating year rather than an annual box to be ticked.
Certificates and endorsements expire on their own schedule, not the vessel's. We track expiry dates across the crew and flag renewals far enough ahead that courses can be booked around the operating programme rather than interrupting it.
Industry standards and flag-state expectations move. We keep the training plan under review and coordinate with the vessel's managers where a change affects manning or certification.
The same sequence whether we are crewing a vessel from scratch or taking over an established crew mid-life.
The vessel, its operating programme and its manning position — then the roles to fill and the profile for each.
Sourcing, shortlisting, structured interviews, and verification of references, qualifications and documentation.
Terms agreed and recorded, then a drafted or reviewed employment agreement issued for signature.
Certificates, medicals and identification collected and filed, and the crew member added to the vessel's record.
Payroll to cycle, leave and absence tracked, records maintained alongside the owning company's accounts.
The programme runs through the year, with certificate expiries monitored and renewals booked ahead.
We are often asked to take over an established crew rather than build one. The engagement then starts with a review of the contracts, payroll history and documentation already in place.
The full crew function, or the parts of it you need — from the same Malta team that administers the owning company and its accounts.
Interviewing, screening and document collection, against the standards of the vessel.
Drafting and reviewing crew agreements so terms are clear, current and consistent.
A fixed cycle, with payslips, records and reporting that feed the owning company's accounts.
Entitlement, accrual, rotation and unplanned absence recorded as they happen.
Programmes built around the vessel's manning requirements, with renewals booked ahead.
A complete, current crew file kept in order for inspections and insurers.
Tell us about the vessel, its operating programme and the crew you have or need — we'll set out how the engagement would work.
Contact us to discuss crew recruitment, employment contracts, payroll, leave tracking and training for your vessel.
