About us
Norwegian Seafarers’ Union (NSU) is a trade union for seafarers. In the Cruise and International Ferries Department, we represent crew working on cruise ships, expedition ships and international ferries. Our aim is to improve working conditions for seafarers across the industry.
We are affiliated to the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF).
We have been helping seafarers since 1910.
Our aim is to improve the working conditions of seafarers in the cruise industry and to be there when they need help.
From big cruise vessels to smaller expedition ships, from Galley Utility to Chief Engineer, we support seafarers working around the world, regardless of nationality or status.
We negotiate collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) with cruise line companies. These are the rules of working at sea- how many hours you should work, what you are paid, what happens when you get sick, the process for making a complaint or facing a disciplinary. Our mission is to make the rules the best we can so that life on board is as good as it can be.
We also represent individual crew members when they have a problem at work. At our Cruise Seminars, we educate seafarers about their rights and how the union works. We are also out in the world visiting cruise ships so that we talk directly to crew and hear what’s important to them so we can negotiate effectively.
We are affiliated to the ITF and use our membership to campaign for better international protections for seafarers.
These pages are aimed at our seafarers sailing on international cruise ships and ferries. If you work on a cruise ship or international ferry, please contact us by email at: mail@nsu.org
If you are sailing on a ship with a Norwegian flag, please go to our national flag pages here. They are available in Norwegian and English: Norsk Sjømannsforbund (NSF) | Forbund for sjøfolk og havfiskere
These are the three most senior elected officials of the Norwegian Seafarers’ Union.
Why are we called the Norwegian Seafarers Union when we represent seafarers from all over the world?
We are called the Norwegian Seafarers Union (NSU) because, historically, we signed agreements with Norwegian ship owners and most of the crew we represented worked under a Norwegian flag.
Today, we sign agreements that cover international and Norwegian flag ships. Most of the ships in this department are cruise ships sailing under Bahamas and other international flags. We represent seafarers of all nationalities in all kinds of jobs. From the Captain to the Bar Tender, we can help seafarers in all roles.
It is the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) that decides which companies are covered by different unions. Companies and ship owners cannot choose which union represents their seafarers.
Here are some links to our social media and some international organisations that may be helpful.
Our website and our partners’ websites
Our Norwegian language website: Norsk Sjømannsforbund (norsk)
Information office for Filipino seafarers: https://filnorgain.org/
Seafarers House, San Juan, Puerto Rico: https://www.seafarerspr.org/
Facebook pages
Our facebook page: www.facebook.com/norwegianseafarersunion
The facebook page for seafarers house in San Juan, Puerto Rico www.facebook.com/SeafarersSanJuan
Seafarers’ welfare
Seafarers’ free Helpline www.seafarerhelp.org/en
ISWAN, seafarers welfare and assistance network: www.seafarerswelfare.org/about-iswan
Seafarers’ rights: www.seafarersrights.org/
International organisations
International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF): www.itfglobal.org/en/global
ITF Seafarers webpage: www.itfseafarers.org
International Labour Organisation (ILO): ILO
International Maritime Organisation (IMO): IMO
These are the three most senior elected officials of the Norwegian Seafarers’ Union.
Kurt Inge Angell, President
Kurt has been Vice President since 2014. He was previously the Assistant Coordinator of the cruise section. Kurt’s seafaring career began on ferries but he spent most of his years at sea on cruise ships. He was elected President at the union congress at the end of 2022.
Jahn Cato Bakken, Vice-President
Before being elected to the position of Vice President, Jahn Cato was the National Secretary and, before that, an Inspector for the union. Originally a cook on international ferries, he was a senior union representative for many years and was elected to the union executive in 2010.
Gunnar Amland, National Secretary
Gunnar was elected to the position of National Secretary at the union congress in late 2022. Before this, he was a full-time Inspector for the union and has a background in offshore.