The cover of Legal Protection of Seafarers: International Standards, Welfare, and Modern Maritime Ethics by Prof. Dr. Capt. Eddy Sumartono, DBA., Ph.D., combines the imagery of a commercial vessel and a judicial gavel, symbolizing the convergence of maritime operations, legal authority, and the pursuit of justice for seafarers in the contemporary maritime domain.
Jakarta, 2025 - At the close of 2025, Prof. Dr. Capt. Eddy Sumartono, DBA., Ph.D., once again affirms his intellectual leadership in the maritime field with the completion of his fifteenth book, Legal Protection of Seafarers: International Standards, Welfare, and Modern Maritime Ethics. This publication represents more than a cumulative academic achievement; it is a timely and principled intervention in ongoing debates surrounding the protection, dignity, and legal status of seafarers in a rapidly evolving global shipping industry.
Global maritime transport continues to underpin international commerce, ensuring the movement of essential goods across continents. Despite this critical function, seafarers frequently operate under demanding conditions characterized by extended working hours, heightened safety risks, psychological pressure, and uneven access to legal remedies. Prof. Sumartono’s latest work directly addresses this structural imbalance by placing seafarers’ rights at the core of maritime legal analysis.
The book provides a comprehensive examination of the international legal architecture governing maritime labor, with particular attention to the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006 as a foundational instrument. Rather than treating legal standards as abstract norms, Prof. Sumartono contextualizes them within the lived realities of shipboard life. Issues of occupational safety and health, welfare protection, and ethical responsibility are integrated into a coherent analytical framework that reflects both regulatory intent and operational practice.
A distinctive feature of this work lies in the author’s dual identity as both a professional mariner and an academic scholar. This combination enables Prof. Sumartono to articulate complex legal arguments while remaining grounded in practical maritime experience. His analysis therefore resonates across disciplinary and professional boundaries, making the book accessible and relevant to seafarers, maritime students, legal scholars, industry practitioners, and policymakers alike.
The book also engages critically with persistent and sensitive challenges in the maritime sector, including crew fatigue, mental health concerns, substandard working environments, and the criminalization of seafarers in the context of maritime incidents. These issues are examined through a balanced legal and humanitarian lens, emphasizing the ethical obligations of states and private actors. The underlying message is clear: effective seafarers’ protection is a prerequisite for a just, resilient, and sustainable maritime industry.
Beyond its scholarly contributions, Legal Protection of Seafarers functions as a practical reference for maritime governance. Flag states, port authorities, shipping companies, and crewing agencies are encouraged to move beyond formal compliance toward substantive implementation of international standards. In doing so, the book highlights the interconnected responsibilities of public and private actors in safeguarding the rights and welfare of maritime labor.
In the context of maritime education, this fifteenth publication enriches the growing body of literature on maritime law and ethics, offering a valuable resource for teaching and research. For a wider readership, it provides insight into the human dimension of global shipping, fostering greater public awareness of the social and legal challenges faced by those who work at sea.
By concluding 2025 with this significant work, Prof. Dr. Capt. Eddy Sumartono reinforces his enduring commitment to advancing maritime governance rooted in legality, ethics, and human dignity. The book stands as a compelling reminder that the future of global shipping must be shaped not only by efficiency and innovation, but also by justice and respect for the seafarers who sustain it.
*****
Press Release,.
