2. WELCOME TO ATLIS MARITIME
Atlis are proud to call ourselves a leading provider of employment solutions for Maritime Security Officer’s
(MSO’s). We are a highly specialist company established by former Royal Marines, directly targeted at
supporting ex-forces personnel forging new careers in the maritime industry. We have decades of service in
the Royal Marines, plus years of experience as maritime security team leaders deployed on ships, as well as
operations managers and administrative co-ordinators with some of the largest maritime security companies
in the world.
Our backgrounds mean we are uniquely positioned in this industry to offer an unrivalled service to MSO’s, with
a level of support & first hand knowledge which we’re confident can not be matched.
The aim of this information brochure is to explain the important employment & tax issues associated with
being a Maritime Security Officer, as well as detail the complete Atlis Maritime service package and the many
advantages you’ll receive from signing up with us.
Seafarer Earnings Deduction – Tax free entitlement!
• What is it?
• Qualifying Conditions
• Employment requirements
The Atlis Maritime Service!
• What we provide
• How this benefits our MSO’s
• Specialist maritime accountants service
What it all means to you!
• A uniquely tailored solution
• Administration
• Costs

3. SEAFARER EARNINGS DEDUCTION (SED)!
What Is It?
Sometimes referred to as the seafarer’s allowance, this is an entitlement which means under the right
conditions, a person working on ship does not have to pay income tax in the UK. This is obviously one of the
big incentives which make maritime security so appealing, as the lucrative salary can be entirely tax free.
Qualifying Conditions
While the SED is potentially available to all seafarers, actually qualifying for it is not merely a case of working
at sea for 6 months of the year as many MSO’s mistakenly believe.
In order to be eligible to claim SED, the following conditions MUST be met:
You must be classed as employed – if you are regarded as self employed you DO NOT qualify. This
is particularly relevant as many maritime security companies’ deploy teams on transits on a self
employed basis and HMRC WILL pay close attention to what those contracts stipulate.
You must be a UK resident – non UK residents DO NOT qualify. If you are a non UK resident due to
previous CP contracts in Iraq/Afghanistan, you will need to change this.
You must be working on a recognised “ship” – platforms, mobile drilling units, floating storage
units etc, DO NOT qualify.
At least 183 days of a qualifying period must be outside the UK – and your days “IN” the UK
must never exceed your days “OUT” or else you DO NOT qualify.
A qualifying period must run for a minimum of 365 days - this must start and end with a day
“out” of the UK. If you do not remain an employed MSO for at least one full year, you DO NOT qualify
regardless of how long you spend at sea.
You must visit at least one foreign port – If the vessel you are on does not visit at least one
foreign port during your qualifying period (one year), you DO NOT qualify.
Employment Requirements
This is what MSO’s should be most concerned about as it is where your qualification for SED entitlement is
most likely to fall down, leaving you with a tax bill of up to 40% of your earnings.
The well known & popular maritime security companies which you are most likely to work for, often use
contracts of self employment when they deploy you on tasks. If HMRC determine your work on ship was
carried out on a self employed basis as per those contracts, you will have to pay income tax up to 40%.
Your status for qualifying for SED must be “employed”, as deemed by HMRC. It’s their opinion which counts,
not your friends, not your employers, not a barrack room lawyer who thinks he knows it all. The only thing
that matters is playing by the rules set out by HMRC. This is how Atlis can help you!

4. THE ATLIS MARITIME SERVICE!
What we provide
Firstly, Atlis Maritime offer you a full contract of employment which is 100% compliant with the qualifying
conditions required by HMRC, meaning you can eligibly & legitimately claim the SED entitlement (assuming you
continue to also meet the other conditions) and therefore avoid any income tax liability.
Secondly, because Atlis is based in the Seychelles and therefore a non UK company, we also provide you full
protection from having to pay class 1 National Insurance currently set between 12-14% of your earnings,
which you would otherwise have to pay if employed by a UK company, regardless of whether you qualify for
SED or not. So we provide a reliable employment solution which saves you from 40% income tax plus the
additional 12-14% NI liability.
Thirdly, our contract contains specific clauses which grant you the flexibility to work on tasks with any of the
major security companies you prefer, whilst still retaining your employment status with us. So you can deploy
on tasks with whomever you choose without risking losing your required employed status needed for SED.
How this benefits our MSO’s
Firstly it provides you with genuine and provable contractual employment which can be presented to HMRC to
support your claim for SED. There are no “grey areas” or possibilities for misinterpretation when you are
employed by Atlis. Our written contract provides you with maximum protection to safeguard your entitlement
to claiming seafarer’s earnings deduction and pay no tax. Secondly, being a truly off shore incorporated entity
you will also avoid the class 1 national insurance liability* which MSO’s working for UK companies always have
to pay regardless of their qualifying for SED. So employment with Atlis can save you from a double liability of
tax meaning you keep more of the money you earn. Thirdly, you will have full flexibility and freedom to
choose when and with which security company you wish to deploy on tasks. You will be employed and
administered by Atlis, but able to work on teams tasked by other maritime companies as you see fit.
This leads to an important point which makes Atlis Maritime a dependable and robust employment solution for
MSO’s seeking proper protection against tax liability. Under normal circumstances, MSO’s sign contracts with
security companies as a self employed individual representing themselves, with no verifiable employment in
the equation. This can potentially (and often does) leave the MSO exposed to full tax liability and can disqualify
you from claiming SED. HMRC will look at the conditions under which the work on ship was carried out, and at
the wording of your freelance contract. If they deem you as self employed, you will pay tax!
Atlis protect you from this scenario by making sure all contracts pertaining to your work with the maritime
security companies, are signed between Atlis and the company. At no point will you sign a “self employed”
contract between you as an individual and the company. All agreements are with Atlis.
Atlis Maritime genuinely look after your interests and ensure you are fully covered for legal operation and
employment in the eyes of HMRC. Once you are employed with us, you will be covered under an umbrella of
security which means you will have legitimate employment status with us at all times, with full confidence of
adhering to the HMRC guidelines governing the employment requirements of SED.
*Class 1 national insurance may still be payable if the vessel you deploy on is GBI registered (UK & Isle of Man).
Specialist maritime accountant service
Despite being employed with Atlis, claiming SED still requires that you submit a self assessment tax return at
the end of the year, and this is something most MSO’s will be unfamiliar with having come from the military
background. To assist you with this, Atlis Maritime have partnered with a UK based accountant who specialises
in maritime tax issues, in particular the Seafarer Earnings Deduction. They will be able to compile and submit
your tax return on your behalf at a significantly reduced rate compared to what is available with other
companies. Your entire annual tax affairs will be taken care of, leaving you free from worry.

5. WHAT IT ALL MEANS FOR YOU!
A uniquely tailored solution
Our extensive military & maritime security operations background, combined with our vast wealth of first hand
experience of how this industry operates in real terms, means we appreciate the unique needs of MSO’s with
an understanding that can not be matched anywhere else. We firmly believe our professionalism and loyalty to
our employees, positions us as the number one choice for employment amongst serious maritime security
contractors. In short, you will be teamed with a company which was created specifically to meet your
requirements, and is 100% committed to fulfilling that objective.
Atlis was established by security operators, for security operators, and we will not be beaten in the service we
provide you. You can be assured of the very best at all times!
Administration
The administrative process for joining Atlis, as well as for your subsequent ongoing employment is efficient
and convenient at all levels. Your application for employment, from start to finish usually takes no more than
5 working days and is all conducted online and by post. There is no requirement for face to face interviews at
our offices.
As an employee, you will deploy on tasks offered by any of the security companies you choose to work with,
and at the end of the tasking you email us your time sheet and invoice. We then invoice the relevant security
company, and once they transfer the funds to us we will pay you in to your bank account. From your point of
view, you simply submit your invoice to us and receive payment thereafter. We provide time sheets to assist
in tracking your qualifying days for SED, and at the end of the year, hand them over to the accountant we
recommend, and your tax return is calculated and submitted on your behalf. Admin throughout the year on
your part is minimal.
There are no inconveniences standing in the way preventing you from joining Atlis Maritime.
Costs
We charge no application or assessment fees, and no set up charges.
Our rate is a flat 3.5% of each invoice we process when paying you. As an example, if you invoiced us for
£8000, we would subtract 3.5% (£280) and therefore pay to your bank account a total of £7720. This rate
works out to a charge of just over £1600 over the course of an entire year for an average MSO employed with
Atlis. Compare that to the nearly £13,000 in tax the average MSO would pay if they remained freelance or self
employed and not qualified for SED.
The only additional cost is a £150 one off payment for your annual tax return if you use the specialist
accountant we recommend. This is a significantly reduced rate than what you will find with most other
maritime specialist accountants and we strongly encourage you to take advantage of this deal.
For further information or assistance, please visit our website at www.atlismaritime.com or email
us on admin@atlismaritime.com. We are always on hand to assist you.