Protecting
People at Sea

Their Rights to Life,
Liberty and Health.

September 18, 2026

Research on the Move: BlueRights STSMs in Action

From Arctic search and rescue to maritime labour, migration law and communications, BlueRights members are using Short-Term Scientific Missions to deepen research, access new expertise and build collaborations across Europe. These four missions show what changes when researchers work in a different environment — and how mobility can turn new perspectives into stronger research and wider impact.
September 18, 2026

60th Anniversary of the Covenants: Bridging Rights Gaps for Vulnerable People

Marking 60 years of the UN International Covenants on Human Rights, this conference in Tbilisi will explore how human rights protection can better respond to vulnerable people. BlueRights sessions will focus on the right to health at sea, seafarers’ wellbeing, mental health vulnerabilities, and the legal and governance challenges shaping protection in maritime environments.
September 18, 2026

The Seafarers’ Bill of Rights Turns 20: Assessing the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006

Twenty years after the adoption of the Maritime Labour Convention, this high-level panel will examine what the “Seafarers’ Bill of Rights” has achieved, where implementation gaps remain, and how it can be strengthened for the future. Bringing together voices from across the maritime sector, the discussion will focus on turning legal standards into effective protection and decent work for seafarers.
September 17, 2026

When the Workplace Becomes a Conflict Zone: Seafarers in the Strait of Hormuz

As attention focuses on shipping and energy supplies in the Strait of Hormuz, BlueRights members Patricia Kennedy, Anita Rayegani and Eka Siradze turn the lens onto the people aboard the ships — including the difficult question of whether seafarers can actually refuse to sail through a conflict zone.

WHY BLUERIGHTS

Human Rights
Violations at Sea

Every day, millions of people work, travel, and live at sea — seafarers, fishers, migrants, passengers, tourists, scientists, naval crew, and many others. Yet, when at sea, their human rights are often at risk.

Drowning, killings, torture, and life-threatening working conditions — along with other forms of abuse — frequently go unpunished, leaving victims without remedies.

For people at sea, fundamental rights such as life, liberty and health often remain beyond reach. BlueRights aims to change that.

WHAT IS BLUERIGHTS

BlueRights is a COST Action network funded by the European Union.

It brings together more than 200 experts from across Europe and beyond — from academia, private legal practice, industry, NGOs, governments and international organizations.

BlueRights experts come from diverse sectors — including shipping, fishing, law enforcement, health, and insurance — and bring a wide range of expertise in law, policy, and training.

Can’t wait to join our network?

Get involved

 

 

BlueRights maps existing policies and uncover gaps in legal protection, to develop practical tools and propose a legal framework that can effectively safeguard human rights at sea.

We do this through:

WORKING GROUPS

“People at sea keep our world moving — providing food, energy, and global connection. But for many, even the most basic human rights are not guaranteed. BlueRights exists to change that.”

Anna Petrig, Action Chair. See the full profile.

Anna Petrig, Action Chair. See the full profile.

LATEST NEWS

September 18, 2026

Research on the Move: BlueRights STSMs in Action

From Arctic search and rescue to maritime labour, migration law and communications, BlueRights members are using Short-Term Scientific Missions to deepen research, access new expertise and build collaborations across Europe. These four missions show what changes when researchers work in a different environment — and how mobility can turn new perspectives into stronger research and wider impact.
September 18, 2026

60th Anniversary of the Covenants: Bridging Rights Gaps for Vulnerable People

Marking 60 years of the UN International Covenants on Human Rights, this conference in Tbilisi will explore how human rights protection can better respond to vulnerable people. BlueRights sessions will focus on the right to health at sea, seafarers’ wellbeing, mental health vulnerabilities, and the legal and governance challenges shaping protection in maritime environments.
September 18, 2026

The Seafarers’ Bill of Rights Turns 20: Assessing the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006

Twenty years after the adoption of the Maritime Labour Convention, this high-level panel will examine what the “Seafarers’ Bill of Rights” has achieved, where implementation gaps remain, and how it can be strengthened for the future. Bringing together voices from across the maritime sector, the discussion will focus on turning legal standards into effective protection and decent work for seafarers.
September 17, 2026

When the Workplace Becomes a Conflict Zone: Seafarers in the Strait of Hormuz

As attention focuses on shipping and energy supplies in the Strait of Hormuz, BlueRights members Patricia Kennedy, Anita Rayegani and Eka Siradze turn the lens onto the people aboard the ships — including the difficult question of whether seafarers can actually refuse to sail through a conflict zone.

UPCOMING EVENTS