The Mess Room
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Terms of Service

Operated by CMARE LLC, trading as The Mess Room. Last updated 6 August 2026. This page is for information and is not legal advice.

Last updated: 6 August 2026
Effective date: 6 August 2026

1. Agreement to Terms

These Terms of Service ('Terms') constitute a legally binding agreement between you ('you', 'User') and CMARE LLC, a Wyoming limited liability company trading as The Mess Room ('The Mess Room', 'we', 'us', 'our'), governing your access to and use of The Mess Room mobile application and all related services (the 'App').

BY TAPPING 'CREATE ACCOUNT', 'LOG IN', 'CONTINUE', OR BY ACCESSING OR USING THE APP IN ANY WAY, YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE READ, UNDERSTOOD, AND AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THESE TERMS AND OUR PRIVACY POLICY, WHICH IS INCORPORATED HEREIN BY REFERENCE. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE, YOU MUST NOT ACCESS OR USE THE APP.

If you are using the App on behalf of an organisation (including a shipping company, crewing agency, or employer), you represent that you have authority to bind that organisation and these Terms apply to that organisation as well.

2. Eligibility

  • You must be at least 18 years of age (or the age of majority in your jurisdiction, if higher)
  • You must have the legal capacity to enter into a binding contract
  • You must not be prohibited from using the App under the laws of your jurisdiction or any applicable international law
  • You must not use the App to violate applicable sanctions laws (including U.S./OFAC and other applicable regimes), including dealing with sanctioned persons/entities or evading sanctions.
  • We do not prohibit ordinary personal use of the App solely because of a user's nationality or residence, except where we are legally required to restrict access or where payment processors / app stores block the transaction.
  • You must comply with applicable maritime regulations, your employer's policies, and flag-state requirements when using the App while on duty

3. Description of the Service

The Mess Room provides the following features (availability may vary by subscription tier and jurisdiction):

  • Crew Chat: pseudonymous peer-to-peer and group messaging among App users
  • Maritime Assistant (Premium): offline-capable informational responses on MLC 2006, STCW, ITF standards, and related seafarer welfare topics, including Guided Steps and Action Playbooks.
  • Wellbeing Guide: mental health and welfare informational resources for seafarers
  • Expert Chat (Premium): encrypted messaging with a licensed independent expert
  • Rights Library and Bookmarks: curated summaries of maritime rights instruments; save and access content offline
  • Subscriptions: Basic and Premium tiers as described in-app

The App operates in both online and offline modes. Core content — including the Rights Library, Maritime Assistant, and Wellbeing resources — is available offline on your device. Features requiring connectivity (Crew Chat, Expert Chat, subscriptions) depend on internet access and server availability. We make no guarantee of uninterrupted availability of online features. Planned maintenance will be communicated in-app where practicable.

We reserve the right to add, modify, suspend, or discontinue any feature or the App itself at any time, with reasonable notice where practicable. We are not liable to you or any third party for any modification, suspension, or discontinuation of the service.

4. NOT AN EMERGENCY SERVICE — Critical Safety Notice

THE MESS ROOM IS NOT AN EMERGENCY SERVICE, CRISIS HOTLINE, DISTRESS LINE, OR COAST GUARD SERVICE.

DO NOT USE THE APP TO REPORT A MARITIME EMERGENCY, MEDICAL EMERGENCY, OR IMMEDIATE DANGER.

IN ANY EMERGENCY: Contact your vessel Master immediately. Contact your company's Designated Person Ashore (DPA). Contact local emergency services.

Expert Chat does not provide real-time crisis intervention. Response times are not guaranteed. The App is not designed, tested, or approved for use in safety-critical, emergency, or distress situations.

5. Accounts and Pseudonymity

5.1 Account Creation

You create a pseudonymous account with an automatically generated alias. You are responsible for:

  • All activity conducted under your account
  • Maintaining the security and confidentiality of your login credentials and device
  • Not sharing your account or device access with other persons
  • The accuracy of any information you voluntarily provide in messages

5.2 Pseudonymity Limitations

Your account is pseudonymous, not anonymous. We hold a pseudonymous identifier (uid) linked to your account. Law enforcement or court orders may, in limited circumstances required by applicable law, compel us to link a uid to other identifying information. You should not assume absolute anonymity.

5.3 Account Integrity

  • Do not create multiple accounts to evade bans or abuse reports
  • Do not impersonate any person, organisation, vessel, or maritime authority
  • Report unauthorised account access to support@themessroom.net immediately

6. Acceptable Use Policy

You agree not to use the App to:

  • Harass, threaten, intimidate, stalk, bully, defame, or abuse any person
  • Post or transmit content that is hateful, discriminatory, obscene, sexually exploitative, or unlawful in any applicable jurisdiction
  • Impersonate any person, organisation, vessel, flag state authority, ITF inspector, or maritime official
  • Attempt to identify, deanonymise, or expose the real-world identity of any other user
  • Spam, flood, or send unsolicited commercial communications to other users
  • Scrape, harvest, or systematically extract data from the App
  • Reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble, or attempt to derive the source code of the App
  • Circumvent or attempt to bypass subscription controls, authentication, or security measures
  • Use the App to provide unlicensed legal, medical, psychological, or professional services to others
  • Introduce malicious code, viruses, or any software designed to damage or interfere with the App or other users' devices
  • Violate any applicable law, including maritime safety reporting obligations, data protection law, or export control regulations
  • Use the App in any way that could endanger vessel safety, crew welfare, or maritime operations

We reserve the right to remove content and suspend or permanently terminate accounts that violate this Acceptable Use Policy, with or without prior notice depending on the severity of the violation. We are not liable for any failure to enforce these provisions in every instance.

7. Maritime-Specific Terms

Users who are active seafarers, officers, or maritime professionals agree that:

  • Use of the App must not interfere with watchkeeping obligations, vessel safety, or compliance with SOLAS, STCW, MLC 2006, or applicable flag-state requirements
  • The App is not a substitute for official safety management systems, ISM Code procedures, or company-issued communications channels
  • Any information obtained from the App regarding employment rights, MLC entitlements, or ITF standards must be verified with your union representative, ITF Inspector, company DPA, or a qualified maritime lawyer before action is taken
  • The App does not constitute legal representation or create any lawyer-client, advisor-advisee, or employment relationship
  • Using the App to organise unlawful industrial action, circumvent official port state control procedures, or engage in conduct contrary to flag-state law may expose you to legal risk independent of these Terms

8. Subscriptions and Billing

8.1 Subscription Tiers

  • Basic: access to Crew Chat, rights library, Crew welfare, bookmarks, and other features designated as Basic in the App (may include a free trial as shown at signup).
  • Premium: paid subscription for Maritime Assistant (including Guided Steps / Action Playbooks) and Expert Chat, as described in-app.

8.2 Billing and Payment

  • All subscription purchases are processed exclusively by Apple App Store (iOS) or Google Play (Android). We do not collect, store, or process your payment card details, bank account information, or billing address
  • Subscription prices, free trial periods, and billing cycles are displayed at the point of purchase.
  • Subscriptions auto-renew at the end of each billing period unless cancelled at least 24 hours before renewal (per the relevant platform's rules)
  • You must manage, pause, or cancel your subscription through your device’s App Store or Google Play account settings where the subscription was purchased through those platforms.

8.3 Free Trials

  • Where a free trial is offered, the duration and conversion terms are displayed at signup
  • If you do not cancel before the trial period ends, the subscription will convert to a paid plan at the applicable price
  • Eligibility for free trials or introductory offers is determined by Apple or Google under their policies and may be limited (for example, one introductory offer per Apple ID or Google account).

8.4 Refunds

  • All refund requests are subject to Apple's or Google's refund policies and are processed by the relevant platform
  • We do not directly process refunds; contact Apple Support or Google Play Support for refund requests
  • Contact support@themessroom.net for account access issues or service credits at our discretion

8.5 Price Changes

Prices are set and displayed at purchase through the App Store or Google Play. Price changes for auto-renewing subscriptions are handled according to Apple’s or Google’s applicable policies.

9. Expert Chat — Specific Terms

Expert Chat is NOT an emergency service. For emergencies, contact your Master, company DPA, or local emergency services immediately. Do NOT use Expert Chat in a crisis situation requiring immediate intervention.

  • Expert Chat is a Premium feature connecting you with an independent licensed expert, as described in-app.
  • Experts are independent contractors or self-employed professionals; they are not employees, agents, or partners of CMARE LLC
  • The expert does not have access to your legal name, employer, vessel, or any App data outside the Expert Chat session unless you voluntarily disclose it
  • Response times are not guaranteed; the App does not provide 24/7 real-time crisis support
  • Experts are subject to their own professional confidentiality obligations and applicable law; they may be required to breach confidentiality in limited circumstances (e.g. imminent risk of harm to self or others) as required by applicable professional regulations
  • We are not liable for the advice, opinions, or conduct of independent experts; you use Expert Chat at your own risk and must exercise your own judgement regarding any information received
  • Expert Chat does not constitute a medical consultation, therapeutic relationship, or clinical service within the meaning of any applicable healthcare regulation

10. Intellectual Property

10.1 Our Content

The App, including its design, interface, branding, software, curated summaries (Maritime Assistant content, Wellbeing content), and all other original content, is owned by CMARE LLC or our licensors and is protected by U.S. and international intellectual property law. All rights are reserved.

MLC 2006, STCW, SOLAS, and other instruments produced by the ILO, IMO, and ITF may be subject to third-party copyright. Our summaries and interpretations are for informational purposes only and do not constitute official texts.

10.2 Your Content

  • You retain ownership of all messages, notes, and content you create in the App
  • By submitting content to the App, you grant CMARE LLC a limited, non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide licence to store, transmit, cache, and display your content solely as necessary to operate the App and deliver the services
  • You represent and warrant that your content does not infringe any third-party rights and does not violate any applicable law

10.3 Feedback

If you submit feedback, suggestions, or ideas regarding the App ('Feedback'), you grant us a perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free, worldwide licence to use, reproduce, modify, and commercialise such Feedback without compensation or attribution to you. Feedback is not confidential.

11. Disclaimers of Warranties

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE APP AND ALL CONTENT, FEATURES, AND SERVICES ARE PROVIDED 'AS IS' AND 'AS AVAILABLE', WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED, OR STATUTORY.

CMARE LLC EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO: (A) WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT; (B) WARRANTIES THAT THE APP WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, ERROR-FREE, SECURE, OR FREE OF VIRUSES OR HARMFUL COMPONENTS; (C) WARRANTIES AS TO THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, CURRENCY, OR RELIABILITY OF ANY CONTENT, INCLUDING MARITIME ASSISTANT OUTPUT AND WELLBEING CONTENT; AND (D) WARRANTIES THAT ANY CONTENT CONSTITUTES OR WILL BE TREATED AS LEGAL, MEDICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, OR PROFESSIONAL ADVICE IN ANY JURISDICTION.

Rights summaries in the App are informational only. Maritime law, collective bargaining agreements, flag-state regulations, and port state control requirements vary significantly by jurisdiction and are subject to change. You must not rely on App content as a substitute for qualified legal or professional advice.

12. Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN NO EVENT SHALL CMARE LLC, ITS OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, MEMBERS, MANAGERS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, LICENSORS, SERVICE PROVIDERS, OR SUCCESSORS BE LIABLE TO YOU OR ANY THIRD PARTY FOR ANY:

  • Indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary, or punitive damages
  • Loss of profits, revenue, wages, employment, or contract
  • Loss of data, goodwill, reputation, or business opportunities
  • Personal injury or property damage arising from your use of the App
  • Cost of substitute goods or services
  • Damages arising from reliance on App content for decisions made on board a vessel or in connection with maritime employment

WHETHER ARISING IN CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), STRICT LIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE, EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES AND EVEN IF A REMEDY FAILS OF ITS ESSENTIAL PURPOSE.

Our total aggregate liability to you for all claims arising from or related to the App or these Terms shall not exceed the greater of: (a) the total amounts paid by you to us in the twelve (12) months immediately preceding the claim giving rise to liability, or (b) USD $100.

Some jurisdictions do not allow exclusion or limitation of certain damages. In such jurisdictions, our liability is limited to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.

Nothing in these Terms limits or excludes liability for: (i) death or personal injury caused by our gross negligence or willful misconduct; (ii) fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation; or (iii) any other liability that cannot be excluded or limited by applicable law.

13. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless CMARE LLC and its officers, directors, members, managers, employees, agents, licensors, service providers, successors, and assigns from and against any and all claims, actions, demands, liabilities, losses, damages, judgments, settlements, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees and court costs) arising from or relating to:

  • Your use of or access to the App
  • Your violation of these Terms or our Privacy Policy
  • Your violation of any applicable law, regulation, or third-party right
  • Any content you submit, post, or transmit through the App
  • Any dispute between you and another user, expert, or third party in connection with the App

We reserve the right, at our own expense, to assume exclusive control of any matter subject to indemnification by you, in which case you agree to cooperate with our defence of such claim.

14. Sanctions and Export Controls

CMARE LLC is a United States company subject to U.S. export control laws and economic sanctions regulations administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the U.S. Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS).

You must not use the App to violate applicable sanctions laws (including U.S./OFAC and other applicable regimes), including dealing with sanctioned persons/entities or evading sanctions. We do not prohibit ordinary personal use of the App solely because of a user's nationality or residence, except where we are legally required to restrict access or where payment processors / app stores block the transaction.

By using the App, you represent and warrant that:

  • You are not listed on any U.S. government list of prohibited or restricted parties, including the OFAC Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) List
  • You will not use the App for any purpose prohibited by U.S. export control or sanctions laws

We reserve the right to terminate your account immediately and without notice if we determine or reasonably suspect that your use of the App violates applicable sanctions or export control laws.

15. Expert Vetting and Independent Status

Experts who provide services through Expert Chat are independently licensed professionals. We require experts to hold appropriate professional credentials for their stated role.

  • Experts operate under their own professional standards and regulatory obligations — not under our direction or control
  • We do not supervise, review, or endorse the specific advice or recommendations made by any expert
  • We are not liable for the professional conduct, advice, or omissions of independent experts

If you have a complaint about an expert’s conduct, contact support@themessroom.net.

17. Content Moderation

We may remove content, restrict features, or suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms or our acceptable use rules.

Questions or disputes about moderation actions: support@themessroom.net.

18. Shipping Companies and Enterprise Users

If you are a shipping company, crewing agency, or other corporate entity that has entered into a separate enterprise agreement with CMARE LLC, those agreement terms apply in addition to these Terms and will control in the event of conflict.

Absent a separate enterprise agreement, corporate users may not:

  • Mandate, require, or coerce individual seafarers to use the App as a condition of employment
  • Monitor, surveil, or attempt to access the content of any seafarer's App account, Crew Chat messages, or Expert Chat sessions
  • Use the App or data derived from it to discipline, dismiss, or otherwise adversely affect the employment of any user
  • Represent to seafarers that the App is a substitute for official grievance procedures, ITF representation, or legal counsel

19. Suspension and Termination

19.1 Termination by You

You may stop using the App at any time and request account deletion via App → Dashboard → Edit Profile → Delete Account. Upon deletion, your profile and server-side data will be removed in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

19.2 Suspension or Termination by Us

We may suspend or permanently terminate your account and access to the App, with or without prior notice depending on the severity, if:

  • You violate these Terms or our Acceptable Use Policy
  • We are required to do so by applicable law, court order, or regulatory direction
  • We discontinue the App or a material portion of it
  • We reasonably believe that continued access poses a risk to the safety of other users or third parties

Where feasible and not legally restricted, we will provide reasonable advance notice of termination. We are not liable for any loss or damage resulting from suspension or termination of your access.

Upon termination, your right to use the App ends. Provisions that by their nature should survive (including intellectual property, disclaimers, limitation of liability, indemnification, governing law, and dispute resolution) will survive termination.

20. Governing Law

These Terms and any dispute arising from or relating to the App or these Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Wyoming, United States, without regard to its conflict-of-law principles.

The United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG) does not apply to these Terms.

To the extent that mandatory consumer protection law in your country of residence confers rights that cannot be contractually excluded, those rights are unaffected by this governing law clause. Consumers resident in the European Union or the United Kingdom retain the benefit of mandatory provisions of the law of their country of residence.

21. Dispute Resolution

21.1 Informal Resolution

Before initiating any formal dispute, you agree to contact us at support@themessroom.net and provide a written description of the dispute and your desired resolution. We will endeavour to resolve the dispute informally.

21.2 Binding Arbitration (Users Outside the EU/UK)

If you are not a consumer resident in the European Union or the United Kingdom, and a dispute arising out of or relating to the App or these Terms cannot be resolved informally under Section 21.1, the dispute shall be resolved by binding individual arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”) under its Consumer Arbitration Rules (or any successor rules), as modified by these Terms.

  • The arbitration shall be conducted in the English language.
  • The arbitration may be conducted by telephone, video conference, or based on written submissions, as permitted by the applicable AAA rules.
  • The arbitrator’s decision is final and binding and may be entered as a judgment in any court of competent jurisdiction.
  • This arbitration agreement does not prevent either party from seeking temporary or preliminary injunctive relief in a court of competent jurisdiction to protect rights pending the outcome of arbitration.
  • Small claims carve-out: Either party may bring an individual action in small claims court for disputes within that court’s jurisdiction, instead of arbitration.

CLASS ACTION WAIVER: TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, YOU AND CMARE LLC AGREE THAT EACH MAY BRING CLAIMS AGAINST THE OTHER ONLY IN AN INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, AND NOT AS A PLAINTIFF OR CLASS MEMBER IN ANY PURPORTED CLASS, COLLECTIVE, CONSOLIDATED, OR REPRESENTATIVE PROCEEDING. THE ARBITRATOR MAY NOT CONSOLIDATE MORE THAN ONE PERSON’S CLAIMS OR PRESIDE OVER ANY FORM OF CLASS OR REPRESENTATIVE PROCEEDING.

If any portion of this Section 21.2 is found unenforceable, the remaining portions shall continue in effect, except that if the class action waiver is found unenforceable, this Section 21.2 shall be null and void in its entirety as to the affected claim(s), and those claim(s) shall proceed in court.

21.3 EU and UK Users

If you are a consumer resident in the European Union or the United Kingdom:

  • You are not required to submit disputes to the binding arbitration described in Section 21.2.
  • You retain the right to bring claims before the competent courts of your country of residence.
  • Nothing in these Terms limits any mandatory consumer protection rights that apply to you under the law of your country of residence.
  • You may also use any alternative dispute resolution mechanism available to you under applicable law.

21.4 EU and UK User Jurisdiction

For consumers resident in the European Union or the United Kingdom, the competent courts of your country of residence shall have non-exclusive jurisdiction over disputes arising out of or relating to the App or these Terms, in addition to the courts of Sheridan County, Wyoming, United States, without prejudice to any mandatory consumer protection rights or jurisdiction rules that cannot be waived under applicable law.

22. Force Majeure

We will not be liable for any delay or failure in performance of the App or our obligations under these Terms to the extent caused by circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including: acts of God, natural disasters, war, terrorism, civil unrest, pandemic, government action, internet outages, cyberattacks, sanctions, or failure of third-party infrastructure (including Google Firebase or app store platforms). We will use reasonable efforts to resume performance as soon as practicable.

23. General Provisions

23.1 Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, that provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable, and the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

23.2 Waiver

Our failure to enforce any right or provision under these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of that right or provision. Any waiver must be in writing and signed by an authorised representative of CMARE LLC.

23.3 Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and any applicable enterprise agreement, constitute the entire agreement between you and CMARE LLC with respect to the App and supersede all prior and contemporaneous agreements, understandings, and representations.

23.4 Assignment

You may not assign or transfer your rights or obligations under these Terms without our prior written consent. We may assign these Terms, in whole or in part, in connection with a merger, acquisition, sale of assets, or operation of law, with notice where practicable.

23.5 No Third-Party Beneficiaries

These Terms do not confer any rights or remedies on any third party, including any maritime employer, shipping company, flag state, or port state authority.

23.6 Language

These Terms are drafted in English. Any translation provided is for convenience only. In the event of any conflict, the English version prevails.

24. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. We will post the new version and update the 'Last updated' date. Continued use of the App after the effective date constitutes your acceptance. If you do not accept the updated Terms, you must stop using the App and may request account deletion.

25. App Store / Apple acknowledgment

If you download or purchase the App through the Apple App Store:

  • These Terms are between you and CMARE LLC only, and not with Apple Inc. (“Apple”). CMARE LLC, not Apple, is solely responsible for the App and its content.
  • Apple has no obligation to furnish any maintenance or support services with respect to the App.
  • To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Apple has no warranty obligation with respect to the App. Any claims, losses, liabilities, damages, costs, or expenses attributable to any failure to conform to any warranty (to the extent not disclaimed) are CMARE LLC’s sole responsibility.
  • CMARE LLC, not Apple, is responsible for addressing any claims by you or any third party relating to the App or your possession and/or use of the App, including: (i) product liability claims; (ii) any claim that the App fails to conform to any applicable legal or regulatory requirement; and (iii) claims arising under consumer protection, privacy, or similar legislation.
  • In the event of any third-party claim that the App or your possession and use of the App infringes that third party’s intellectual property rights, CMARE LLC, not Apple, will be solely responsible for the investigation, defence, settlement, and discharge of that claim, to the extent required by these Terms.
  • You represent and warrant that you are not located in a country subject to a U.S. Government embargo, or that has been designated by the U.S. Government as a “terrorist supporting” country, and that you are not listed on any U.S. Government list of prohibited or restricted parties.
  • Apple and Apple’s subsidiaries are third-party beneficiaries of these Terms as they relate to your use of the App on iOS. Upon your acceptance of these Terms, Apple will have the right (and will be deemed to have accepted the right) to enforce these Terms against you as a third-party beneficiary.

If you download or purchase the App through Google Play, your use is also subject to Google’s applicable terms and policies. Google is not a party to these Terms and is not responsible for the App, except as required by Google’s own terms or applicable law.

26. Contact

Email: support@themessroom.net
Registered address: CMARE LLC, 30 N Gould St Ste R, Sheridan, WY 82801, United States