Recognising bullying and harassment in maritime
The pandemic shone a light on one of the industry’s darkest secrets: the mental and physical toll of life at sea.
With seafarers trapped onboard for upwards of a year at a time as a result of COVID-19 restrictions, long-running mental health issues bubbled over, and shipowners have been forced to take action to support distressed crew members through helplines, counselling and mental health awareness training.
Two years on from the start of the pandemic, even as most of the world returned to some kind of normal, seafarer wellbeing has remained in crisis mode. The latest Seafarers Happiness Index report, published in April 2022 by The Mission to Seafarers, reveals the lowest levels of seafarer satisfaction for eight years. According to this barometer of crew wellbeing, morale onboard has been severely impacted by the ongoing impacts of Omicron, particularly in terms of access to shore leave, tensions among crew members as a result of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and concerns over contractual issues.
“Sadly, the areas outlined in the Q1 2022 Seafarers Happiness Index echo much of what we hear from our own Idwal surveyors who are on board vessels every day,” said Thom Herbert, crew wellbeing advocate and senior marine surveyor at Idwal, which supports the work of the Mission. Herbert said his surveyors often see “first-hand how closely linked crew morale and wellbeing are to the efficient operation of the vessel”.
More than one in two
The strains and stresses of life onboard can feed a toxic work culture that can enable bullying and harassment. Researchers writing for Marine Policy journal in February 2022 reported that as many as one in four seafarers have encountered workplace bullying and harassment, rising to over 50% of women seafarers. Alarmingly, the researchers also found that for about 17% of women seafarers, sexual harassment was currently an issue and that 1% of cadets have experienced sexual assault during their time on board.
Unsurprisingly, the high prevalence of bullying and harassment, including serious sexual assaults, contribute to the industry’s mental health epidemic. A 2016 study by the United States Department of Transportation, for example, noted that sexual offences and sexual harassment at sea can have negative effects on mariners including depression, poor performance, unhealthy coping mechanisms and isolation.
Too often these issues are hidden, part of a “what happens at sea, stays at sea” culture but there are signs of change. Last year the industry was rocked when a 19-year-old American female cadet with the US Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) reported via an anonymous blogpost that she had been raped on an AP Moller-Maersk ship during her year at sea. The investigation into the claim saw the shipping line suspend five employees while USMMA paused its Sea Year as a result of this and other allegations.
IMO recognition
Now the slow-grinding wheels of international maritime law are gearing up to address bullying and harassment in shipping. The IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee has agreed to establish a joint IMO/ILO joint group to consider bullying and harassment in the maritime sector, which it says poses significant risks to the safety and well-being of seafarers, and as a result to the vessel itself.
There will be amendments to the 1978 International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW). This is in part to the high-profile incidents mentioned above but also as part of a wider review of STCW in light of immense change within the industry, including decarbonisation and digital transformation, which means crew members need additional training in new fuels, the latest digital technologies and competency training missed as a result of the pandemic.
These issues are already firmly on the agenda of the IMarEST’s Special Interest Group for Seafarer Mental Health & Wellbeing. “The issue of bullying and harassment is widespread, yet it has taken a long time, and ILO intervention, to bring the issue to the attention of IMO, the governing body of the shipping industry,” said Professor Reza Ziarati FIMarEST, a member of the Seafarer Mental Health & Wellbeing SIG. Chaired by Stephanie McLay, the SIG has been working hard to raise awareness and promote best practice, through events such as last year’s First Global Conference on Seafarer Mental Health and Wellbeing.
It's important to remember that many shipowners and operators are already taking proactive measures, with The Mission to Seafarers’ Happiness Index revealing crew were appreciative of efforts to make life at sea more comfortable and enjoyable. Simple, empathetic initiatives such as ensuring vessels having funds allocated for weekly crew gatherings, quizzes, karaoke, sports, TikTok video making, movie nights, and barbecues show “a small investment can go a long way,” noted Captain Yves Vandenborn, director of loss prevention at the Standard Club. “It really does make a difference to crew morale and outlook, providing both economic and mental health benefits,” he said.
To become a member of the Seafarer Mental Health and Wellbeing SIG, log into My account, click on My Special Interest Groups and then tick the boxes of the SIGs you’d like to join. You can then also join the group on Nexus, our networking platform.”
Amy McLellan is a journalist and author. She was previously editor of Energy Day. Twitter @AmyMcLellan2