Time bar for crew claims

A time bar for crew claims is the limitation period within which a seafarer must bring a claim for unpaid wages, injury, or other employment entitlements before it is statutorily barred. The period is set by the governing law of the seafarers’ employment agreement or the flag-state and national labor law, not by a single international figure, so it varies by jurisdiction and claim type. MLC 2006 requires effective complaint and dispute procedures, both on board and ashore, so a seafarer can pursue a claim before any bar runs. Crew managers track wage and contract records in the wages account through the limitation window, since the burden of proving payment usually rests on the employer once a claim is made.