A crew member's Seafarer's Identity Document is not recognised by this particular port's immigration authority, despite being valid under the ILO Convention the flag state has ratified. What should the master do?

A. Tell the crew member their document must be genuinely invalid, since the port has rejected it

B. Take no action since this is solely a matter for the crew member to resolve with their home country's government

C. Accept the port's decision immediately with no further enquiry or escalation, regardless of the document's validity elsewhere

D. Raise the discrepancy formally with the agent and, if needed, the flag state and relevant maritime authority — inconsistent recognition of valid seafarer identity documents across different ports is a known, documented problem in the industry, and the appropriate response is to escalate through proper channels rather than the individual crew member simply accepting exclusion as inevitable

A. Allow the affected crew to go ashore anyway, disregarding the immigration restriction

B. Tell the affected crew simply to accept it with no explanation of the actual cause

C. Assume the agent is responsible and lodge a complaint against them without checking the actual reason first

D. Clarify with the agent and port authorities exactly why leave was denied — this is very often a port-state immigration policy applied based on nationality or visa requirements, not a decision made or influenced by the ship's agent or company, and explaining this clearly to the affected crew reduces unnecessary resentment directed at the wrong target

A. The crew member should simply attempt to leave the ship without informing anyone, to deal with the matter themselves

B. The matter should be left entirely for the crew member to resolve on their next visit to this port, however far in the future that may be

C. The master should work with the agent and seafarer welfare organisations at the port (many ports have dedicated seafarer welfare centres or chaplaincy services) to explore whether an escorted or specially arranged shore visit can be facilitated, even where general shore leave is restricted — immigration rules sometimes allow exceptions for genuine medical or compassionate need

D. Nothing further can be done once general shore leave has been denied, regardless of the individual circumstances