Ministers and campaigners have warned that harassment remains a widespread problem in the shipping industry, more than a year after a highly publicized sexual assault case highlighted the problems facing the industry that underpins global trade.
Denmark, home to many of the world’s oldest shipping companies, has been criticized by the government for “unacceptable” levels of harassment after a report found that one in six of 3,500 seafarers surveyed had witnessed bullying or sexual harassment. The incidents occurred on Danish ships within a 12-month period.
Danish Business Minister Morten Bodskov said earlier this month that the findings were “completely unacceptable” and that he was “surprised” by the extent of the incident.
Bodskov called on the industry to address the issue “immediately”, adding that “more must be done to ensure that seafarers on Danish ships do not have to worry about harassment and bullying”.
The report comes as other governments, as well as activist groups, also warn that the industry has yet to clean up its act. The issue could hamper efforts to attract more women into the traditionally male-dominated industry, deepening concerns that shipowners will struggle to find enough workers to meet demand.
According to a 2021 report by industry body Bimco and the International Chamber of Shipping, women account for only 1.2% of the world’s 1.89 million seafarers. Meanwhile, shipowners have been grappling with staffing shortages, with a further 89,510 crew members needed between 2021 and 2026, the report said.
A poll released by Maritime SheEo in 2019 showed that only a third of women on board said they had a good experience. Headquartered in India, one of the world’s leading suppliers of seafarers, the organization supports female employees. About 12% of people who moved to land-based work said they did so because of physical or mental harassment.
Sanjam Gupta, founder of Maritime SheEo and director of Indian logistics group Sitara Shipping, said the industry is still shrouded in “patriarchal thinking”. “Some people think this ship is not suitable for women,” she added.
Overseas Workers Department Assistant Secretary Jerome Pampolina, who recently conducted a study on the experiences of female seafarers, also said sexual harassment is an ongoing issue.
Responding to a report released by the Copenhagen government, trade body Danish Shipping acknowledged “serious challenges” faced by Danish-flagged ships. It said it took the results “very seriously” and the issue had been “moved to the top of the agenda”.
But the latest warning comes amid hopes the industry can improve after allegations of sexual assault on a ship operated by Danish group AP Møller-Maersk in 2021 rocked the industry.
When a subsidiary of the world’s second-largest container shipping company was prosecuted last year over the incident, it was seen as a wake-up call for shipping companies.
After Covid-19 lockdowns and the war in Ukraine left many stranded on stranded ships for months, industry leaders fear revelations of widespread harassment and bullying could further undermine the appeal of the notoriously low-paying profession of seafaring .
Authorities and shipping companies are working to make the industry more attractive to women.
Pamplina said the Philippines, which has the largest number of seafarers in the world, hopes to introduce “gender sensitivity” training for all Filipino shipworkers in the coming year.
This follows a similar move by the Shipping Directorate of India, which last year drew up a draft compulsory education program on gender discrimination “in view of ongoing complaints of misconduct”.
Amalie Grevsen, Maersk’s recently hired head of ocean culture, said the company continues to receive complaints from workers but is also seeking to address the issue.
In November, its U.S. operations reached a settlement with a former Maersk trainee who filed legal action in New York, but both sides declined to disclose the terms.
Graveson said Maersk has opened a hotline for reporting complaints and has a dedicated team to deal with problems. It has also introduced anti-sexual harassment training for employees.
“It’s a long process, but we’re keen to change the work culture,” she said.
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