Retirement from sea service

Benefits are only paid after retirement from employment in the German or foreign seafaring industry. The date of retirement from sea service is marked by the end of the last employment in seafaring, with any remaining entitlements to leave taken into account.

Later periods of unemployment or illness are irrelevant to the end of employment. A once established end of employment remains valid even in case of renewed employment in the seafaring industry.

The general entitlement to benefits remains unaffected. The benefits are however postponed during the new employment in the seafaring industry and will be resumed when it has ended.

With regard to the benefits paid before and after standard retirement age, new employment as a seafarer has no effect. The benefits are paid continuously without interruption for the entire eligibility period.