Warning for shipping sector on the consequences of the new Slavery Act

Robin Brook, Hari Jon and Stuart Neely, of Norton Rose Fulbright LLP, consider the impact of the Modern Slavery Act on business in the maritime industry

The UK’s Modern Slavery Act received Royal Assent on 26 March 2015. The principal purpose of the Act is to consolidate existing legislation containing criminal offences relating to slavery (including human trafficking, forced labour and other forms of exploitation) into a single statute designed to provide law enforcement agencies with stronger tools to tackle modern slavery and enhance protection for victims. Shipping companies will be interested to note that, where human trafficking takes place on a ship, the court may (in some circumstances) order the forfeiture of the vessel concerned. This is discussed further below under the heading “Enforcement”.