ShipMoney FAQs

How do I get my card and get started

1. What is ShipMoney?
2. How do I register my ShipMoney account?
3. How do I get my ShipMoney card?
4. Do I have to log onto the internet to get my money? Do I have to create a ShipMoney account?

Basic Transaction, Limits and Fees

1. What are some of the Fees?

2. What are some of the limits?
3. If a Crew Member requires cash in local currency, can he still get the money?
4. Are these multi-currency accounts?
5. How can I check local currency exchange rate for ATM withdrawal and purchase payments?
6. How does currency conversion work at MoneyGram, Western Union and the ShipMoney Wire
Service?

Security

1. How Safe is it?

2. Is there any tax for storing money in the account?
3. GDPR
4. If my country has some sanction regimes, who could guarantee me that the access to American
account will not been ceased at once?

Funding

1. How do I request to fund my Shipmoney Card?

2. How do I know if a deposit is made to my eWallet?
3. What funds will be put on my cards? Allotment? Advances? Balance of wages? Etc?
4. When will I receive the funds? Request cutoff, how many days after request?
5. Can I or others transfer/load funds to my ShipMoney card?

What is a ShipMoney Companion card?

1. How can I get companion cards for my family and friends?

2. How do companion cards work?

ShipMoney card use in Russia and Ukraine

1. Will my card be accepted by Visa-accredited merchants and ATMs?

2. What does this mean for ShipMoney Cards?
3. Can I send money to my bank account in Ukraine or Russia via ShipMoney Wire Service?
4. Western Union in Russia and Ukraine
5. MoneyGram in Russia and Ukraine

Now that I have the card, online account, & funding, what can I do with it?

1. Can I take my card into a bank to get cash?

2. Can I send money home?
3. Can I use for in-store purchases?
4. Can I shop online?
5. How do I make a card-to-card transfer?

Replacement of lost or damaged card

1. Replacement of a lost/ damaged

2. What happens when my card expires?

Where do I get help?

1. Who can I reach out to for support or questions regarding my account?

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What is ShipMoney?
ShipMoney is a handy payroll solution tailored for seafarers, offering financial flexibility and reducing
transfer costs.

o Instant Global Access: With ShipMoney, you can access your payroll advances and wages
instantly on a global scale. It's your financial lifeline wherever you are in the world.

o International Convenience: Say goodbye to the hassles of dealing with physical cash. ShipMoney
is accepted at all locations where VISA is accepted, making life on the high seas much more
convenient.

o Money Management: Seafarers can use their ShipMoney accounts for wire transfers, transfers
via Western Union and MoneyGram, as well as for online shopping.

o Companion Cards: ShipMoney also allows you to add companion cards to your account. With
Companion Cards, you can enjoy three free card-to-card transfers every month, in addition to
the one free wire transfer provided every month. This, combined with the fact that most
transfers are not expensive compared to a bank, makes managing your finances more cost-
effective.

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How do I register my ShipMoney account?
1. Download the Shipmoney App or visit Shipmoney at https://card.shipmoney.com/#/login.

2. Start the registration process by clicking on NEW TO SHIPMONEY? "Enroll Now."

3. Type in your Customer ID and Web Code, then click "Confirm."

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Note:

The Customer ID is the 10-digit number found on the back of the card. This is your Webcode. Please do not scratch!

4. Read the instructions for creating your Username and Password, then click "Next."

5. Create your unique Username and Password, and click "Next" when you're ready.

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 6. Select three Security Questions and provide your clever answers.

Afterward, please proceed to DEVICE REGISTRATION. To register your device, follow the steps below.

1. Start by logging into your Shipmoney account and registering your personal device.

2. Type in your Customer ID and the last 4 digits of your Shipmoney card.

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3. Answer the security questions with your answers and then click "Confirm."

4. Log in to your Shipmoney account once again. This time, be sure to accept the Terms and
Conditions.

You have now registered your device. Enjoy managing your finances with Shipmoney!

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How do I get my ShipMoney card?
Seafarers can get their card either onboard or in the local manning office.

If Onboard – Approach the captain and express your intention to use/subscribe to Shipmoney. If buffer
cards are available onboard, the captain will issue a card. Crew should follow the below procedures,
upon receipt of the card:

A. Photocopy the paper to which the card is attached to. Make sure the CID number is captured.

B. Crew should indicate the PCN, name, and signature on the photocopy.

C Signed photocopy should be handed back to the Master (Master must send this across to our
Digital Payroll Specialist the one responsible for activation).

Upon receipt of the scanned document, Digital Payroll Specialist will link the card to the seafarer’s
account and Email confirmation and instruction will be sent to Captain on how they can register it
online.

If NOT Onboard – They can email our Crew Support Team ([email protected]) or our
Digital Payroll Specialist ([email protected]) and below possible solution will be available
depending on the nationality and situation of said Crew.

1) For Russian Crew: Digital Payroll Specialist will email Baltic Office and refer the request of
said crew to them were in they will give him Shipmoney card or Virtual Shipmoney card
depending on the region of said crew.

2) For Filipino Crew: They can get their Shipmoney Card on our Manila Office upon contract
signing or before dispatch.

3) For other Nationality: They will be given a Virtual Shipmoney card that they can use for the
meantime. And once onboard they can follow above steps for onboard crew on how they
can get their Shipmoney Cards.

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Do I have to log onto the internet to get my money? Do I have to
create a ShipMoney account?
Your funds can be deposited into your eWallet as soon as V.Group registers your account. However, you
must create a ShipMoney account and register your card online to have complete control over your
funds and manage them according to your preferences.

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What are some of the Fees?
The company will cover the monthly administration fee. This will cover some of the costs you might incur
for the various services. Any additional charges are clearly displayed in the fee table.

• There are no monthly fees or minimum balances.

• There are no fees for store purchases.
• Crew receive 2 free ATM transaction from ShipMoney per month then $2.50 per transaction.
Local rates may apply.
• Crew receive 7 free Card to Card Transactions per month then $2.50 will be charged on
succeeding transaction.
• The first Wire is covered by V. and the subsequent wire fees are $10.00. Wires sent in another
currency are $5.00.
• Western Union provides direct to bank options for many countries at $2.99 including transfers to
India, Philippines, Indonesia and others. Cash pick up rates are $8 for transactions under $1000
and $15 for above $1000 to most countries. Please select the country, amount, and transfer
type. Please note that these fees are set by Western Union and not ShipMoney.

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What are some of the limits?
The maximum balance of a single account is $50,000.00

Each payment type has a transaction limit and a daily limit. They are the following:

• POS (Point of Sale) Transactions – Transaction size is $10,000.00 for a single transaction and
$25,000.00 in a day.
• ATM Withdrawals – The limits for the ATM withdrawals are $750.00 per transaction, and the
daily limit is $2,250.00 per day.
• Card to Card Transfer – The limit for the Card-to-Card transfer is $2,500 per day. Crew has 7 free
transactions per month.
• ShipMoney Wire Service - a crew member can send up to $20,000 per transaction from their
Shipmoney account to virtually any bank account.
• MoneyGram – $5,000.00 per transaction.
• Western Union - $5,000.00 per transaction.

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If a Crew Member requires cash in local currency, can he still get the
money?
Absolutely. The crew member can get local currency from local ATMs with VISA logo.

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Are these multi-currency accounts?
No. Your account is denominated in USD. However, VISA automatically converts your funds to local
currency when using your card in an ATM or in a store.

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How can I check local currency exchange rate for ATM withdrawal and
purchase payments?
We use visa rate calculator:

https://usa.visa.com/support/consumer/travel-support/exchange-rate-calculator.html

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How does currency conversion work at MoneyGram, Western Union
and the ShipMoney Wire Service?
Once a payment method and currency is selected, you are provided a quote sheet prior to sending any
funds. You must confirm the quote prior to a payment being processed. Our partners have their own
rates based on country, amount, and method of payment.

Wester Union provides direct to bank options for many countries at $2.99 including transfers to India,
Philippines, Indonesia and others. Cash pick up rates are $8 for transactions under $1000 and $15 for
above $1000 to most countries. Please select the country, amount, and transfer type. Please note that
these fees are set by Western Union and not ShipMoney

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How do I request to fund my Shipmoney Card?
You can request to fund your card by informing the Master during the monthly allotment request or
when sending your balance of wages (BOW) that you would like to send these funds to your ShipMoney
account.

Note: For Filipino seafarers, as mandated by POEA, your fixed allotment (80% of your basic wage –
minimum) must still be sent to your nominated bank account in the Philippines. Only special allotment
or Master Payment Order (MPO) will be accommodated via Shipmoney (anything in excess of 80% of
basic wage).

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How do I know if a deposit is made to my eWallet?
You will receive an email and SMS notification whenever V.Group makes a deposit. You will also receive
notifications on all your transactions.

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What funds will be put on my cards? Allotment? Advances? Balance of
wages? Etc?
Currently – VGroup will be paying Allotments and Balance of wages onto ShipMoneyEWallets for
seafarers who opt to do so.

Note: For Filipino seafarer, as mandated by POEA, your fixed allotment (80% of your basic wage –
minimum) must still be sent to your nominated bank account in the Philippines.

Only special allotment or Master Payment Order (MPO) will be accommodated via Shipmoney (anything
in excess of 80% of basic wage).

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When will I receive the funds? Request cutoff, how many days after
request?
Your payments will be processed at around the same time your allotment was being processed in your
domestic bank account. Once processed, the funds will arrive immediately to your ShipMoney card.

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Can I or others transfer/load funds to my ShipMoney card?
No. You cannot transfer funds money in this card, only the company can upload funds.

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How can I get companion cards for my family and friends?
On-Board Companion Card Distribution Process:

1. You must have a ShipMoney Card registered before requesting a companion card.
2. When you require a companion card, please request it from the Master to begin the registration
process.
3. The Master will provide you with a ShipMoney Card in an envelope.
4. Using the customer number from the envelope as shown below, please enter this number into
the Companion card application form on the V.Crew Connect App.

The customer number is the 10-digit number shown on the picture.

Registering the card on the V.Crew Connect App.

1. Open your V.Crew Connect App and navigate to the "MyCards" record on the menu.
2. At the bottom of the cards screen, there is a + icon to add my screen "Request Companion Card"
3. The registration form requires the 10-digit Customer Number as shown in the envelope.
4. Please enter the details of your companion, do NOT enter your personal details in this form
5. Forename and Surname are limited to 19 characters each.
6. There should be no gaps in the name, e.g. firstname : "Sarah Jane"
7. Please do not submit a requests multiple times.

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Card Validation Process

1. Our dedicated team will validate your application for registration and approve it.
2. If your registration is approved, our team will update the ShipMoney Companion Card Customer
ID and your companion's personal details in the ShipMoney Admin App.
3. You will receive an email notification from the Payroll team in Manila indicating that your card is
ready for activation. The recipient of the card will receive a notification from ShipMoney that the
card has been registered.
4. In the event that your registration is not approved, you will receive an email notification. Please
return the card to the Master.

In Office Manila Companion Card Distribution Process:

1. When in Manila, visit the kiosk to request a companion card for application.
2. Our team will validate your application and, upon approval, update the Companion CID and your
companion's personal details in the ShipMoney Admin App.
3. You will receive the card from our team and an email notification confirming that the card is
ready for activation.
4. If your registration is not approved, we will promptly inform you that your request for a
companion card application has been denied.

Seafarers on Leave Companion Card Distribution Process:

1. Register your request for a companion card through V. Crew Connect.

2. Our team will review your application for registration and approve it.
3. If your registration is approved and you can collect the card upon mobilization, we will instruct
you to report to the ShipMoney booth and follow the In Office process.
4. If your registration is approved but you cannot collect the card upon mobilization, we will
instruct you to collect the card onboard and complete the On-Board process.
5. If your registration is not approved, you will receive a notification indicating that your request
has been declined.

We hope that this detailed process clarifies the steps involved in obtaining ShipMoney Companion Cards
for various scenarios. Our aim is to ensure a smooth and efficient experience for all our valued seafarers.

Should you have any questions or require further assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out to
[email protected].

Safe sailing and best regards.

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How do companion cards work?
ShipMoney companion cards, allowing seafarers to give prepaid Visa cards to family members or
partners, with 7 free monthly card-to-card transactions.

Companion Cards for Seafarers

1. Can be used to store funds safely

2. Ease of transfer

Companion Cards for Beneficiaries

1. Receive money in real-time or schedule in advance.

2. Cards are not linked to main card.
3. Accessibility of funds globally

✓ Companion Cards have two types: physical for in-person use and virtual for online shopping and
secure storage, obtained through the ShipMoney App or kiosks.
✓ Each Companion Card can hold up to $25,000 USD. (Please ask your mobilization team if these
limits need to be extended due to political issues in your home country).
✓ ShipMoney cards are covered by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), with a
combined storage limit of $100,000 USD across multiple cards.
✓ Companion Cards are not linked to the Main Card, ensuring separate and secure access to funds.

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Will my card be accepted by Visa-accredited merchants and ATMs?
ShipMoney visa cards are accepted by all Visa- accredited merchants and ATMs outside Russia.
ShipMoney cards and all Visa cards are not usable in Russia as Visa has blocked transactions in this
region.

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What does this mean on ShipMoney cards in Ukraine and Russia?
Cards work in Ukraine, subject to limitations of the sanctions and availability.

ShipMoney cards are fully functional in Ukraine provided that stores are open and accepting Visa cards
as payment and so long as ATM’s have cash available to dispense.

In Russia, ShipMoney cards NO longer work at stores or online Russian stores or ATMs at any bank.

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Can I send money to my bank account in Ukraine or Russia via
ShipMoney Wire Service?
Payments into Ukraine are available in USD or Euros but trading in Ukrainian Hryvnia (UAH) is not
available.

• Payments can be made into Ukraine and western parts of Ukraine by Ukrainian crew members or
any other nationality. The sanctions administered currently are largely targeting the four regions
(Crimea, Luhansk, Kherson and Donetsk) and any payments directly or indirectly linked to these
regions will not be processed. At present, payments to Ukraine with no connection to the
aforementioned regions will be processed. Please keep in mind that if either remitter or
beneficiary is in a sanctioned area, a bank may reject a wire transfer.

• Russian and Ukrainian crew members can send money to themselves in other countries;
however, they should exercise caution, as payments will be screened by the intermediary and
receiving banks and may be delayed.

• ShipMoney Wire Service has been enabled for payments into Russia effective Monday, August
15th.

There are several important caveats that must be considered:

• Payments can only be sent in US Dollars or Euros and cannot be converted to Rubles.
• Payments can ONLY be sent to the following eight non-sanctioned banks. These non-sanctioned
banks may not be available for payments in the future and could be restricted immediately and
without notice. Other banks may be available in the future, and we will provide notice should
this happen:

o Deutsche Bank
o AO CitiBank Moscow
o UniCredit Bank (Available)
o Banca Intesa (Moscow)
o AO MUFG Bank
o Bank of China (Russia)
o Asian-Pacific Bank
o Raiffeissen Bank (Please note that payments can only be made in Euros)

AO MUFG Bank (Eurasia) YOU CANNOT SEND PAYMENTS TO ANY OTHER RUSSIAN BANK.

• Payments sent to a Russian bank not listed above may result in funds being SEIZED due to
sanctions violations.
• Payment instructions will be scrutinized with enhanced sanctions screening. Additional
information and documentation may be requested regarding the crew member and/or the
beneficiary which will delay settlement.
o If the beneficiary details are not 100% accurate including the EXACT name of the
beneficiary, payments will be significantly delayed or returned. If the receiving or
intermediary bank returns the funds, significant fees will be charged, and the amount
returned will be much less than what was originally sent.
• Payments will be SIGNIFICANTLY DELAYED and will take much longer to settle than you may have
experienced in the past. There is a huge worldwide backlog of payments being sent to non-
sanctioned banks. Payments are being manually reviewed and approved on a case-by-case basis
RESULTING IN SETTLEMENT TIMES OF MANY WEEKS OR MORE IN MOST CASES. This is not
unique to ShipMoney but for all inbound payments into Russia.
• The amount sent may not be the amount that settles to your account. The receiving bank in
Russia and/or the intermediary bank may assess their own separate fees due to the enhanced
screening procedures.
• We recommend that crew send a test wire to a beneficiary for a small amount (no more than
$500) to make sure that the funds properly settle.

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• There will be a $10.00 Surcharge for these payments due to the additional screening and
compliance costs. This will appear as a separate charge on your transaction history.

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Western Union in Russia and Ukraine
Western Union has suspended operations in Russia and Belarus.

Western Union is still functioning in Ukraine. However, WU does not have visibility of the availability and
access to the local agent network. Agent locations may not be open or may not have the cash on-hand to
complete a cash payout transaction. Our counsel to the crew members will be to ask the family member
or individual to check with their local agent if they are open and processing cash payout transactions.

The WU network is fully functional outside of Russia and Ukraine. Those crew members who are able to
get off of a ship in port or are in transit, can use the service to send a transaction to themselves for
access to cash.

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MoneyGram in Russia and Ukraine
MoneyGram has suspended services in Russia while MoneyGram services remain available in Ukraine,
however, we recommend that local agents may not be open or have the available cash to dispense.

The MoneyGram network is fully functional outside of Russia and Ukraine. Those crew members who are
able to get off of a ship in port or are in transit can use the service to send a transaction to themselves
for access to cash.

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Can I take my card into a bank to get cash?
Yes. Some banks allow you to use your ShipMoney card to obtain cash inside the bank as long as you
have the funds available. Most banks will charge an additional fee for this service so you should compare
costs. Note that there will be a fee charged for this type of transaction.

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Can I send money home?
Yes. You can send international wire payments to any bank account in the world as well as send money
with MoneyGram, TransFast and Western Union directly from your card.

Log into your account at ShipMoney.com or the mobile App and select Send Money.

Detailed instructions are provided separately.

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Can I use for in-store purchases?
Yes. You can use your card to shop at stores, restaurants and more. Please note that there are times
where you may be asked if you want to pay in USD or the local currency, always choose the local
currency to avoid foreign exchange fees.

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Can I shop online?
Yes. You can use your ShipMoney card to shop online. Some online merchants may use a security feature
called Verified by VISA, which sends a one-time password via email or text depending on your settings. In
this case, you will need to enter a one-time security code to complete your transaction.

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How do I make a card-to-card transfer?
Log in to your card and select “Card to Card Transfer.” Follow the instructions. The funds will be
transferred immediately.

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Replacement of a lost/ damaged
If Onboard In case of Loss, Damage or card not returned by ATM you will contact the admin team,
identified shore person or crew purser on board (pending on setup of the vessel).

If NOT Onboard If you are offboard or no longer working for V.Group, you can contact ShipMoney
Customer Service by selecting Online Help at ShipMoney.com or the ShipMoney App and request a
replacement card.

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What happens when my card expires?
Cards are valid for 3 years with an Expiration date printed on the card.

If Onboard Three months before the expiration, the replacement procedure will take place by the admin
team, identified shore person or crew purser on board (pending on setup of the vessel). Your
replacement physical card will be activated upon confirmation that you are in possession of the card.
New eWallets are automatically activated.

If at home/vacation If offboard or you are no longer working for V.Group, you can submit a ticket
through Shipmoney Online Help and ask for a replacement card.

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Who can I reach out to for support or questions regarding my
account?
For concerns regarding your monthly allotment please contact your vessel payroll executive.

For technical support for your account or card, go to ShipMoney.com or the App and click ONLINE HELP
and then CONTACT US or use this link: https://customersupport.shipmoney.com/support.cfm, or you can
call the ShipMoney support at +15133548931.

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How Safe is it?
Wages are deposited in a ShipMoney account held in the United States and are fully FDIC-insured.

retainsShipMoney has a number of security measures employed including transaction notifications and
OTP (one-time passwords). If a card was compromised through fraud or cloning, the card member has
full VISA chargeback rights which allow the crew member to contest charges and if fraud is found, the
crew will not be held responsible for any unauthorized charges made with their account. The only
liability the crew retain is if the crew gives away their details to access their account such as their
passwords or PINS. However, this is the same policy that the crew has for their domestic accounts.

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Is there any tax for storing money in the account?
There is no taxation of funds stored in the card. You are responsible your own tax obligations.

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GDPR
ShipMoney is fully GDPR compliant. We share your KYC data with our remittance partners like
MoneyGram and Western Union to enable these features. We do NOT share your information with any
other entities.

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If my country has some sanction regimes, who could guarantee me
that the access to American account will not been ceased at once?
Crew members will always have access to their funds regardless of whether the crew member’s home
country has a sanctioned regime. Crew members' funds are fully guaranteed and protected by the FDIC,
an agency of the US Government. Funds are held at the Bank of Oklahoma until spent.

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