IMO to mandate anti-harassment training for seafarers by 2026

THE INTERNATIONAL Maritime Organization (IMO) will introduce mandatory anti-harassment training for all seafarers starting January 1, 2026, under amendments to the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) Code. The announcement was made by Captain Steven Spence of the Maritime Authority of Jamaica (MAJ) during a webinar hosted on Tuesday, June 25, in observance of the 2025 Day of the Seafarer.

This year’s theme, ‘My Harassment-Free Ship’, focused on fostering respectful and inclusive working environments at sea, with a global call to eradicate bullying and harassment across the industry.

Captain Spence described the new IMO requirement as “a decisive step in reinforcing the safety and dignity of every seafarer,” adding that the training aims to better equip maritime professionals to recognise, prevent, and respond to abuse and misconduct at sea.

The MAJ-hosted webinar, themed ‘How to Foster a Positive Culture at Sea’, brought together a distinguished panel of maritime experts and advocates who explored the root causes of harassment and discussed strategies to transform industry culture. The panel featured: Dr Carolyn Graham, senior lecturer, Caribbean Maritime University; Dr Hortense Ross-Innerarity, superintendent of pilotage, Port Authority of Jamaica; Captain Kuba Szymanski, secretary general, InterManager; Georgia Allen, projects and relationships manager, ISWAN; and Dr Maria Ali, lead psychologist, OneCare Group.

The discussion was moderated by maritime communications expert, Sean Moloney and centred on harassment prevention, mental well-being, and structural changes needed across the sector.

Captain Spence noted that Jamaica is one of the few flag States with an established support system for crew. The country’s registrar of seafarers, who is also a trained social worker, is available to assist seafarers trained in Jamaica and serving on Jamaican-registered vessels, confidentially and without fear of reprisal.

Dr Graham criticised the industry’s imbalance in addressing safety. “While shipping focuses heavily on the technical side of safety and even mental health, safety matters such as harassment, bullying and intimidation are not given the attention they should receive,” she said. “Lip service is being paid to seafarers being able to speak out on these things.” She also noted that some governments’ mechanisms for addressing such issues are weak and ineffective.

Georgia Allen reported that ISWAN had received more than 100 calls in the past six months from seafarers experiencing bullying-related mental health concerns. She said the organisation uses the acronym ABHDV, abuse, bullying, harassment, discrimination and violence, to describe the full scope of concerns. “Seafarers not only need physical safety, but they should be made to feel safe mentally too,” she said.

Captain Szymanski urged the industry to examine its collective accountability. “Often we don’t believe we are responsible for a lot of things. We are very happy to tell others what to do, but not necessarily ourselves,” he said. He encouraged charterers, owners and flag States to actively assess their roles and responsibilities.

Dr Ali welcomed what she sees as a shift in industry mindset. “This shows the start of quite a big shift in the industry, going beyond the training and punitive measures,” she said, stressing that seafarers must know they will be protected, not penalised, if they speak up.

Dr Ross-Innerarity called the IMO campaign “a call to action to everyone in the maritime industry to foster a safe, inclusive and respectful working environment for all seafarers, irrespective of their rank, race, gender, nationality and background.” She highlighted that isolation and exclusion can undermine a ship’s safety, recommending the recruitment of at least two female seafarers per vessel, preferably of the same nationality, to reduce vulnerability and improve support.

Allen also introduced the concept of “allyship”a proactive approach in which individuals support marginalised colleagues even if they are not directly affected. She stressed its importance in the multicultural context of maritime work, where many crew members may find themselves as the only representative of their gender, language, religion or nationality on board.

The panel collectively agreed on the need to embed a zero-tolerance culture industry-wide. As Graham concluded: “What is needed is a culture of zero tolerance for harassment of any kind, one that is ingrained in the psyche of not just seafarers but policymakers, ship owners, ship managers and everybody involved.”

The Day of the Seafarer, observed annually on June 25, was established by the IMO to recognise the critical role of seafarers in international trade and the global economy. This year’s #MyHarassmentFreeShip campaign aligns with broader efforts to create inclusive, supportive maritime workplaces that protect the rights and wellbeing of all personnel