bank payment
success rate
crew paid through
MarTrust
Crew Welfare
Our Research
Emotional Drivers → Financial Pressures → Transactional & Tech Barriers
Why become a seafarer?
For a seafarer, supporting loved ones through their earnings is not just a financial act; it is an act of care and responsibility.
“Before MarTrust, if we wanted to get money to family in an emergency, say a medical emergency, we wouldn’t be able to. With MarTrust, we can send money to family quickly.”
Carlo, Third Officer
Crew Welfare
What can financial institutions do to strengthen crew welfare?
Use technology to serve seafarers
Simplify access, increase transparency, and reduce friction.
Ensure fairness and trust
Offer competitive, transparent fees and equitable service.
Prioritise timely payments
Ensure wages reach crew and families without delay.
Resolve payment issues proactively
Act fast to prevent disruptions and protect welfare.
From Everyday Financial Stability to Crisis Response
Foundational Support Layer: Everyday Financial Stability
Ensuring basic crew welfare through reliable,secure, and transparent payment systems.
Operational Continuity Layer: Support During Voyage Disruptions
Protecting crew payments and access during operational or environmental delays.
Crisis Response Layer: Resilience in Black Swan Events
Supporting crew and maintaining compliance in high-risk or sanctioned environments.
Marcura At Work
🇷🇺 Russia - Sanctions & financial isolation
Pain Points
Increasingly, Russian seafarers face financial isolation due to tightening sanctions and reduced banking connectivity.
Many banks and payment providers are reluctant to process transactions involving Russian nationals, even for legitimate salary remittances.
The impact on seafarers is human and immediate: delayed salaries, limited access to funds for their families, and uncertainty about their financial security.
Focus
Seek compliant pathways
Innovate beyond traditional banking rails
Maintain transparency
Protect all parties
Act as an advocate
🇲🇲 Myanmar - Banking access & FX restriction
Pain Points
Many correspondent banks have stopped providing services to Myanmar (e.g., OCBC, DBS, UOB).
Sending USD transfers often incurs high intermediary fees (e.g., Bangkok Bank $30 per Tnx)
The Myanmar FX market is restricted and not openly traded.
Crew and families experience delays, reduced net income, and frustration due to opaque rates and unpredictable processing times.
Focus
Facilitate lawful, transparent routes
Offer local currency (MMK) payout options
Ensure predictability
Maintain humanitarian focus: Recognize crew wages as essential livelihood payments and treat them as welfare-critical, not high-risk transactions.
🇹🇭 🇲🇲 Myanmar & Thailand - 28 March earthquake — crew assistance
Impact
The 28 March earthquake brought significant hardship to communities and crew members across Myanmar and Thailand.
Emotional and operational challenges for seafarers and their families in the region.
Focus
Free transfer offer for crew in Myanmar and Thailand with active MarTrust accounts.
Transfer fees waived automatically from 3 April 2025, valid for 60 days.
Quick relief measure aimed at easing financial strain during recovery.
Solidarity message – MarTrust expresses both empathy and ongoing commitment to affected crews and communities.
