Seaplify
March 28, 2026
Seafarer bullying and harassment remain among the least reported problems in the maritime industry, yet the numbers are stark. According to the Sailors’ Society (2025), 1 in 5 seafarers experience some form of psychological harassment during their career at sea. That figure represents tens of thousands of people working in a confined environment, far from home, with limited options for support.
This article covers what counts as bullying and harassment onboard, the psychological and operational consequences when it goes unaddressed, your rights under international maritime law, and the concrete steps you can take if you find yourself in this situation. Whether you are experiencing it, witnessing it, or managing a crew, this applies to you.
What Counts as Seafarer Bullying and Harassment
Bullying and harassment at sea do not always look the way people expect. The obvious forms are there: verbal abuse, deliberate humiliation in front of crew members, physical intimidation. But the scope is wider than most seafarers realise.
A February 2026 webinar hosted by Britannia P&I Club and Maersk Training identified several categories of behaviour now recognised as hidden stressors onboard: harassment, bullying, gender inequality, cultural divides, power gaps, and wage disputes. The same session flagged digital intrusions as an emerging form, where harassment continues through messaging apps, group chats, and online channels, following a seafarer even when they are off duty.
Sexual harassment and assault are also within this scope. The IMO and ILO are actively strengthening their focus on violence and harassment across vessel types, and the regulatory direction is clear: these issues are being brought formally into the framework that governs seafarer welfare.
Why It Goes Unreported
Reporting rates for bullying and harassment at sea are low. Two structural factors explain most of it.
The first is hierarchy. Ship command structures concentrate authority at the top and create significant power gaps between ranks. A rating raising a complaint against a senior officer, or a junior officer reporting a master, faces real professional risk. The fear of reprisal is not abstract. It can mean a negative appraisal, a contract not renewed, or an assignment to a less desirable vessel.
The second is cultural. Many nationalities represented in maritime crews come from backgrounds where respect for authority is deeply embedded and where raising a complaint is associated with shame. Cultural norms about face-saving and avoiding conflict prevent crew members from speaking up even when they have a legitimate grievance and a clear right to raise it.
“The hierarchy onboard is necessary for safety, but it creates silence around welfare issues,” says a veteran maritime training specialist with 22 years of experience at sea and ashore. “The seafarers most at risk are often the least likely to report, and that gap has to be closed.”
The Real-World Consequences of Unaddressed Harassment
Crew members who experience bullying or harassment do not simply carry on as before. The Britannia P&I Club and Maersk Training webinar identified a specific cluster of effects: post-trauma exposure, significant psychological stress, loss of confidence, and social disconnection from the rest of the crew.
These are not abstract welfare concerns. Mental wellbeing directly influences operational safety, crew communication, trust between ranks, and whether crew members report near-misses or safety deficiencies. When a seafarer is afraid of their superior, they are less likely to speak up about a problem they notice during a watch. Unmanaged threats to crew wellbeing degrade performance and increase the probability of errors.
For more on how mental health connects to maritime safety, see the Seaplify blog’s coverage of seafarer mental health and wellbeing.
Your Legal Rights Under MLC 2006
The Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (MLC 2006) is the primary international instrument protecting seafarer rights at sea. Under MLC 2006, shipowners have a legal obligation to provide a safe working environment, which includes protection from harassment, bullying, and any conduct that undermines a seafarer’s dignity or safety.
Every seafarer working on a vessel that falls under MLC 2006 jurisdiction has the right to file a complaint, onboard and ashore, without suffering retaliation. That protection is written into the convention. Flag state authorities are required to have procedures in place to handle complaints, and port state control officers can inspect for compliance.
Your company’s Seafarer Employment Agreement (SEA) and the Ship’s Complaints Procedure must both be accessible to you. If you have not seen these documents, you are entitled to request them. For a full breakdown of what MLC 2006 requires, the Seaplify blog covers MLC rights in detail.
What You Can Do: Practical Steps
If you are experiencing bullying or harassment onboard, the steps below give you a clear path forward. These were outlined by maritime welfare professionals at the Britannia P&I Club and Maersk Training webinar in February 2026.
- Read your company’s relevant policy. Most companies have a code of conduct, a dignity at work policy, or an anti-harassment policy. Know what your employer has committed to in writing.
- Check your job description. Confirm that the tasks or treatment you are receiving fall outside the scope of your contracted duties. This matters if the behaviour is framed as part of normal shipboard expectations.
- Keep calm and be firm. If it is safe to do so, you can state clearly and calmly that the behaviour is unwelcome. You do not need to argue. A clear statement on record is enough.
- Keep a record of every incident. Write down dates, times, locations, what was said or done, and who was present. Keep this record private and off ship systems if possible.
- Make your line manager aware. If your direct superior is not the source of the problem, report to them formally. If they are the problem, go to the next level in the chain of command.
- Speak to trusted colleagues. Colleagues who witnessed incidents may be willing to support your account. You are not required to handle this alone.
- Keep it factual. When making any complaint, stick to documented facts. Avoid characterising the person’s motives; describe the specific behaviours and their impact.
- Alert the company. Use the ship’s formal complaints procedure or contact the company’s designated person ashore (DPA) directly. This creates a paper trail and triggers the company’s obligation to respond.
If you do not feel safe raising the complaint internally, external options include seafarer welfare organisations, port welfare committees, and flag state labour inspectors. The ITF (International Transport Workers’ Federation) operates a global network of inspectors who can intervene on behalf of seafarers when company channels fail.
For Officers and Managers: Your Role in Prevention
If you hold a supervisory rank, the way you respond to complaints shapes whether your crew reports at all. A crew member who raises a concern and gets dismissed is unlikely to raise another one, and neither will anyone who watched it happen.
Prevention comes down to a few consistent actions: enforce your company’s code of conduct visibly, address minor issues before they become patterns, and make it clear through your conduct that rank does not confer immunity. Mandatory briefings on dignity at work during crew changeovers are a practical minimum. They signal that the policy is real, not just a document in the safety management system.
Frequently Asked Questions
Conclusion
Bullying and harassment at sea are serious, they affect safety, and they are not something you are required to tolerate. The legal framework under MLC 2006 gives you rights, your company’s policy gives you a process, and welfare organisations give you external support if internal channels fail. Document what happens, know who to contact, and use the procedures available to you.
The shipping industry is overdue a shift in how it handles these issues. That shift depends on crew members knowing their rights well enough to use them.
Looking for your next maritime role? Browse open positions at Seaplify.
Written by
Seaplify Editorial Team
Maritime career experts helping seafarers find the right opportunities. About Seaplify →
