Case Study: Delivering a Fully Compliant UK Crew & Payroll Solution for an LNG Carrier
Business Type: LNG Carrier
Location: UK
Key Stakeholders: Crewing Managers
Roles included in the EOR & International Payroll Solution: Entire Crew
Other Services Included: Contract Recruitment
Faststream Consultants Involved: Chris Bramley, CFO and Matt Bridge, Associate Director
When our client needed to transition their LNG gas carrier to operate in UK waters, they required a fully compliant crew and payroll solution quickly. With strict regulations and a short timeframe to replace both crew rotations, they needed a seamless transition to avoid operational delays.
Leveraging our Employer of Record (EOR) and International Payroll expertise, we delivered a tailored workforce solution, ensuring full compliance with UK employment and tax laws while maintaining uninterrupted operations.
The Challenge
Our client, a leading maritime company operating an LNG gas carrier, faced a significant challenge when their vessel was set to operate in UK waters for an extended period. The client needed a crew with the right to work in UK waters and establish a tax-compliant payroll solution. With a short timeframe to replace the crew for both crew rotations, the client required a swift and seamless solution to avoid operational delays.
The Solution
To meet the client’s urgent requirements, we implemented a comprehensive Employer of Record (EOR) and International Payroll Solution, ensuring full compliance with UK employment and tax laws.
Key actions taken:
Rapid Crew Recruitment
We market-mapped, sourced and recruited seafarers with the right to work in the UK, utilising our vast network of crew.
Tax & Employment Compliance
We implemented a fully compliant payroll solution, ensuring all crew members were paid correctly and in line with UK tax regulations.
Certification & Compliance
We verified and managed all necessary certifications, ensuring crew members met industry and regulatory standards, including MLC compliance.
Logistics Support
We arranged flights, transport, and medical checks (including drug and alcohol testing) through our trusted network of UK clinics.
Seamless Collaboration
Working closely with the client’s crewing managers, we aligned crew rotations with operational needs while maintaining full legal and tax compliance.
The Results
We successfully transitioned the vessel’s crew to a fully UK-compliant workforce, ensuring that all seafarers had the right to work in the UK and met necessary certification requirements.
To support the client’s ongoing operations, we provided a fully managed payroll solution, guaranteeing that all crew members were paid correctly and in full compliance with UK tax regulations. This seamless approach eliminated any risk of non-compliance while ensuring fair and timely compensation for the workforce.
Throughout the transition, we maintained smooth and uninterrupted operations, minimising disruption and ensuring that vessel schedules remained on track. Our team worked closely with the client to oversee every aspect of the transition, from recruitment to payroll and compliance.
This partnership extended for two years, during which we continued to provide expert support and payroll management until the vessel left UK waters. Our tailored approach enabled the client to focus on core operations while we handled the complexities of workforce compliance.
Would you like to explore how our EOR & International Payroll Solutions can support your business? Get in touch with our experts today.
Latest Insights
View All InsightsShould You Set Up a Local Entity or Use an Employer of Record? A Guide for Maritime Employers
International growth creates exciting opportunities, whether you're entering a new offshore wind market, supporting a vessel mobilisation, or expanding your commercial footprint into a new region. ...
Why Candidate Experience Has Become a Commercial Advantage in Maritime Recruitment
Finding and securing skilled maritime professionals has become increasingly competitive. Whether you're hiring for technical, operational, commercial or leadership positions, the strongest candidat...
Why Maritime Executive Searches Fail in Asia-Pacific: Seven Common Causes
Leadership appointments can shape the future direction of a maritime business. The right hire can support growth, strengthen commercial performance, lead transformation initiatives, and create last...
The Growth Challenges Maritime Leaders Can Actually Control
Most maritime businesses want to grow. Whether the goal is entering new markets, expanding fleets, investing in digital technologies or strengthening customer relationships, growth remains a priori...
Confidential Recruitment in Maritime: Why Discretion Matters More Than Ever
From leadership succession and market expansion to business transformation, confidential hiring has become an increasingly important strategy for maritime employers across the Asia-Pacific. Most re...
Who Will Replace the Global Maritime Leaders? The International Experience Gap Emerging in US Maritime
For years, conversations about maritime talent have focused on labour shortages, skills gaps and succession planning. Yet another challenge may be quietly emerging across the maritime industry: a g...
How Maritime Employers Can Strengthen Hiring Outcomes
Maritime recruitment has become increasingly competitive across shipowners and managers, particularly for technical, operational and commercial roles where specialist talent remains limited. As hir...
Singapore Maritime Technology Recruitment Trends: Hiring & Expansion Across Asia Pacific
Singapore continues to strengthen its position as a key hub for maritime technology recruitment across the Asia Pacific, as SaaS providers, OEMs, maritime advisory firms, and shipping technology bu...
The Hidden Workforce Challenge Behind the Cruise Industry Expansion
Cruise passenger demand continues to rise, with new ship deliveries and alternative fuel investment accelerating workforce pressures across the sector. Matt Bridge, Director at Faststream Recruitme...
Why Maritime Businesses Are Rethinking the Way They Access Expertise
The maritime and shipping sectors have never faced a more complex mix of challenges. Digital transformation, decarbonisation, regulatory pressure, AI adoption, cybersecurity, operational resilience...
Why Workforce Planning Is Now a Maritime Board-Level Issue
Workforce planning has become one of the most important conversations in maritime businesses, and it’s increasingly being shaped at the board level. Not because ownership is shifting away from HR,...
8 Signs Your Global Maritime Hiring Model Is Costing More Than You Think
Many maritime organisations are hiring internationally to access specialist expertise, support global projects and expand into new markets. However, managing employees across multiple jurisdictions...