The International Day of the Seafarer was celebrated across Africa yesterday as several maritime administrations hosted functions and posted messages to recognise the need for an increased focus on ensuring safe vessels that are free of harassment and bullying in line with this year’s theme for the day as announced by the International Maritime Organisation.
Given the efforts being made to position the continent as a future supplier of seafarers as well as the focus on diversity at sea, the 2025 Day of the Seafarer theme “My harassment free ship” is a poignant reminder that bullying remains an issue and impacts on the mental wellbeing of many crewmembers.
A report published in 2023 by the Lloyds Register Foundation1 noted that Africa could become a dominant supplier of seafarers by 2050, and women could make up as much as 25 percent of the seagoing workforce.
Recognising the impact of harassment at sea and, in a move to combat violence within the maritime sector, the International Maritime Organisation adopted amendments to the Seafarers’ Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) Code that will see specific training aimed at preventing and responding to incidents on board becoming mandatory from 1 January next year.
This training requirement aims to equip seafarers with an understanding of what constitutes violence and harassment, bullying and assault.
In his message on the Day of the Seafarer, Secretary General of the IMO, Arsenio Dominguez noted these efforts to amend the STCW Code and urged the maritime industry to foster a culture of zero tolerance on ships.
“We will also amplify the voices of those who have dealt with harassment, learning from their stories and ensuring they are heard.”
“We will also amplify the voices of those who have dealt with harassment, learning from their stories and ensuring they are heard,” he said.
Surveys and reports have highlighted the incidence of harassment at sea in the last few years, and while women still report more incidents, their male colleagues are not immune from abuse while on board.
Interesting statistics presented by the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) at maritime events lately have also highlighted that mental health is an increasing cause of medevacs undertaken by the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) along the coast.
And as our youngsters are being sold the dream of a career at sea in the merchant navy, the superyacht sector and the cruise sectors – it is important to note reported alarming increases in harassment and bullying particularly in the yacht sector.
“This troubling trend suggests a culture of silence, fuelled perhaps by fear of retaliation, lack of support, or a belief that reporting will lead to no meaningful action.”
A State of the Industry Snapshot: Bullying and Harassment at Sea released by the Sailor Society this week provides the latest overview on the issue.
The report highlights the disparity experienced across various regions, and notes that in Africa the percentage of females experiencing bullying is more than double that of males.
The report also confirms that there is still a culture of silence on board. “This troubling trend suggests a culture of silence, fuelled perhaps by fear of retaliation, lack of support, or a belief that reporting will lead to no meaningful action,” it reports.
In South Africa, the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), the Department of Transport (DoT), the South African International Maritime Institute (SAIMI), the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), the National Skills Fund and Transnet co-hosted three events held simultaneously in Durban, Cape Town and Gqerbeha.
“Our mission is beyond compliance, but we look at the overall well-being of the seafarer in their totality. And we are committed to a cultural transformation that ensures that harassment and discrimination has absolutely no place in our ports, in our ships, and in our industry. Through our inspections, our audits, and active stakeholder engagement, we are enforcing zero tolerance policies when it pertains to the issues around harassment in the workplace of our seafarers,” Acting CEO of SAMSA, Mbalenhle Golding told guests at the Cape Town event.
“A safe vessel is not just one that passes inspections. It is one where crew members are respected, protected, and empowered.”
“A safe vessel is not just one that passes inspections. It is one where crew members are respected, protected, and empowered. That insight underpins this year's IMO theme and our collective mission,” reiterated Chair of the SAMSA Board, Mahesh Fakir at the event.
In a video message, Deputy Minister of Transport, Mkhuleko Hlengwa, highlighted that harassment can take on many forms and emphasised the need for all stakeholders to adopt a zero tolerance on vessels as he acknowledged that it remains a problem for seafarers.
“The ship is not just a vessel. It is a workplace, a home, and a community for those who dedicate their lives to navigating the seas. Yet we must confront the harsh reality that too many seafarers face harassment in all forms. This is not just an issue of personal struggle. It is a systemic problem that threatens the very fabric of our maritime industry and the very well-being of those who serve on the front lines,” he said.
A panel discussion at the Cape Town event sought to provide feedback on how the DoT and SAMSA engages with seafarers as well as information about the policies and legislation currently in place that aims to mitigate the challenges that they face at sea.
“It is a systemic problem that threatens the very fabric of our maritime industry and the very well-being of those who serve on the front lines.”
As the lone seafarer voice on the panel, Mbali Madondo noted that, in some instances bullying of cadets is normalised within the shipping sector, but also acknowledged that she has not encountered significant instances of harassment on the ships she has served on.
As Madondo points out, however, there are more subtle challenges that face women at sea. Noting the age of certain vessels, she says that these ships are not designed to accommodate separate bathroom facilities for men and women – an issue that can pose obvious problems.
Other maritime authorities including the Ghana Maritime Authority, Kenya Maritime Authority and Nigerian Maritime and Safety Agency uploaded messages of support to seafarers onto their social media platforms, calling for safe, respectful and inclusive environments.
PHOTO: Panel discussion at the Cape Town event hosted by the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) to commemorate the International Day of the Seafarer. (© Maritime Review Africa)
Lloyd's Register Foundation and Economist Impact (2023) Global Maritime Trends 2050. Lloyd's Register Foundation. doi: 10.60743/XRTA-Z334.
61
