PRIVACY POLICY
Who Are We?
Mariforce Ltd is a specialist marine and offshore workforce recruitment agency operating globally. We connect maritime professionals, including seafarers, offshore engineers, marine officers, and support personnel, with employers across the global marine and offshore industries.
This Privacy Statement applies to all individuals and organisations who interact with Mariforce Ltd through our website mariforce.com, our recruitment platform, or any related services we provide.
What Is This Privacy Statement About?
To provide our recruitment and workforce placement services, we need to collect and process certain information about you — some of which may be personal or sensitive in nature. For example, we may need details such as your name, contact information, professional certifications, seafarer documentation, employment history, and next of kin details.
This statement explains what information we collect, why we collect it, how we use it, who we may share it with, and how we keep it safe. It also sets out your rights under UK data protection law.
What Information Do We Collect About You?
The information we collect varies depending on whether you are a candidate, a client employer, or a general website visitor. Typically, we may collect:
For Candidates & Maritime Professionals
- Full name, address, date of birth, and nationality
- Contact details including email address, phone number, and emergency contact / next of kin information
- Seafarer documentation such as STCW certificates, Flag State certificates, Merchant Mariner credentials, and OPITO/GWO safety training records
- Employment history, vessel experience, rank, and professional references
- Passport, VISA status, and travel document details (required for international placements)
- Medical fitness certificates (e.g. ENG1 / Flag State medical) where required by the role
- Bank account details for payroll processing where applicable
- Any other information relevant to assessing your suitability for a specific marine or offshore role
For Client Companies & Employers
- Company name, registered address, and company registration number
- Contact details of key personnel such as HR managers, fleet managers, and crewing officers
- Details of vessels, fleet composition, or offshore installations as relevant to resourcing requirements
- Billing and payment information
We collect only the information we genuinely need to deliver our services. We respect your privacy and take a minimal-collection approach at all times.
How Do We Collect Information About You?
We collect information primarily directly from you — through application forms on our website, email correspondence, telephone conversations, registration on our recruitment platform (mariforce.zohorecruit.in), or during the onboarding process.
In certain circumstances, we may also receive information from third parties such as:
- Professional referees or previous employers you have nominated
- Manning agents or crew management partners acting on your behalf
- Flag State administrations or certification bodies verifying credentials
- Third-party background check providers (where required by a client or regulatory body)
What Do We Do With the Information We Collect?
We use your information to:
- Match you with suitable marine or offshore roles, or source appropriate candidates for client employers
- Verify professional qualifications, certifications, and seafarer documentation required for specific positions
- Provide and manage our recruitment and workforce placement services
- Communicate with you about vacancies, opportunities, or your application status
- Process payroll or contractor payments where we act as the intermediary employer
- Conduct background checks, reference verification, or pre-employment screening as required
- Comply with legal and regulatory obligations, including those set by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), Flag States, and offshore industry regulators
- Prevent fraud, money laundering, or any other form of financial crime
- Maintain accurate and up-to-date records for our operations and audit trail
- Inform you of services we believe may be relevant to your career or workforce needs, where you have consented to such communications
Who Do We Share Your Information With?
We appreciate the trust you place in us when sharing your information. We only share it where we are permitted or required to by law, or where you have given us consent to do so. We may share your information with:
- Prospective employers or client companies, for the purpose of evaluating your suitability for a specific vacancy
- Manning agents, crewing managers, or vessel operators involved in the placement process
- Flag State administrations, port authorities, or maritime regulatory bodies where required by law or necessary to verify your documentation
- Third-party background screening, occupational health, or drug and alcohol testing providers
- Our employees and recruitment consultants who are directly involved in managing your application or placement
- IT systems providers, payroll processors, or other carefully selected service providers who help us deliver our services under strict data processing agreements
- Any regulator, court, or government authority where disclosure is required by law, legal duty, or statutory obligation
International transfers: Given the global nature of the maritime industry, we may need to transfer your information to organisations outside the UK, including those based outside the European Economic Area (EEA). We will only do so where we are legally permitted to, and we take all reasonable steps to ensure that your data remains protected in accordance with UK GDPR standards.
Cookies
Our website uses cookies, small data files stored on your device by your browser, to support essential functionality such as secure sessions and improve your experience on the site.
Third-party tools embedded on our site (such as analytics or job board widgets) may also set their own cookies. Mariforce recommends reviewing the privacy policies of any third parties whose services you access through our website, as we are not responsible for how they collect or use your data.
You can usually adjust your browser settings to refuse cookies, though doing so may limit certain features of our website. Where required by law, we will seek your consent before placing non-essential cookies.
Website Security & External Links
Sensitive areas of our website use SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encryption, which ensures that any data you submit is protected during transmission over the internet. However, no internet transmission can be guaranteed to be entirely secure, and you should be aware of this when using our online services.
Our website may contain links to third-party websites, including flag state portals, industry bodies, or job boards. These sites have their own terms and privacy policies, and Mariforce accepts no responsibility for their content or practices. This Privacy Statement applies only to mariforce.com and our associated
Communicating With Us by Email & Phone
If you contact us by email or provide us with your email address, we may use that address to respond to your enquiry or to follow up in connection with your application or placement.
Please be aware that email communication, while convenient, carries inherent security risks. We recommend that you avoid sending sensitive documentation (such as certificates, passport copies, or medical certificates) from unsecured or public Wi-Fi networks.
If you have provided a phone number, we may use it to contact you regarding relevant vacancies, application updates, or service matters. Please notify us promptly if your contact details change so we can keep our records accurate.
How Do We Look After and Secure Your Information?
We take the security and integrity of your personal data seriously. Our approach includes:
- Technical security measures including password protection, data encryption, and access controls on all systems holding personal data
- Restricting access to your information to only those employees and consultants who need it to perform their role
- Staff training on data protection responsibilities and handling of sensitive maritime documentation
- Robust contracts and data processing agreements with any third parties to whom we may need to disclose your information
- Retention policies to ensure we do not hold your information for longer than necessary, with secure and timely deletion thereafter
We treat our obligations towards your privacy with the utmost seriousness and aim to be fair, transparent, and lawful in everything we do with your data.
Your Rights Under UK GDPR
The UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) provides you with a number of important rights in relation to your personal data. We take all reasonable steps to uphold these rights.
Right of Access
You have the right to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you. To make a Subject Access Request (SAR), please contact us in writing. We will ask you to provide two forms of current identification to verify your identity before releasing any information. We will respond within one calendar month of receiving your request.
Right to Rectification
If any information we hold about you is inaccurate or out of date, please inform us as soon as possible. This is especially important in a maritime context where certification and documentation details must be current. We will correct our records promptly.
Right to Object
Unless we are processing your data based on your consent, a contractual obligation, or a legal duty, you have the right to object to us using your personal information in a way that causes you substantial and unwarranted damage or distress. Please write to us with your objection and we will respond within 21 days.
Right to Opt Out of Direct Marketing
We may, from time to time, contact you about relevant roles, industry news, or services that may be of interest to you based on your profile. You have the right to opt out of such communications at any time by contacting us using the details below. Every marketing communication we send will include a clear option to unsubscribe.
We will also respect any registration you may have with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) or Mailing Preference Service (MPS).
Mariforce and Data Protection
Mariforce Ltd is registered with, and regulated by, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018.
For further information about data protection and your rights, you can contact the ICO directly:
- Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF
- Telephone: 0303 123 1113
- Website: ico.org.uk
How to Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Statement, wish to exercise any of your data protection rights, or would like to opt out of marketing communications, please contact us:
- Email: info@mariforce.com
- Website: mariforce.com
- Recruitment Platform: mariforce.zohorecruit.in
Changes to This Statement
We may update this Privacy Statement from time to time to reflect changes in the law, guidance from the ICO, updates to our services, or for other legitimate operational reasons. Any changes will be posted to this page on mariforce.com, and where appropriate we will notify you directly. We recommend checking this statement periodically to stay informed of the latest version.
The date at the top of this statement indicates when it was last revised.