Violence and harassment are systemic risks in maritime shipping. Seafarers operate in isolated, confined and hierarchical environments that increase exposure to bullying, intimidation, physical violence and sexual harassment. The closed nature of ships, combined with prolonged periods at sea and limited external oversight, can allow abusive behaviours to persist undetected.
Power imbalances – particularly between officers and crew – can create conditions where harassment and abuse are normalised or go unchallenged. Seafarers face verbal abuse, threats or coercion linked to performance, discipline or workload. Women seafarers, who remain a minority in the workforce, face heightened risk of gender-based violence and harassment, including sexual harassment and assault, compounded by the lack of gender-sensitive policies, reporting mechanisms and onboard facilities.
Violence and harassment intersect with discrimination and forced labour risks. Seafarers from certain nationalities or in lower ranks are disproportionately targeted, while migrant status and dependency on employers can increase vulnerability and limit access to protection or remedy. Fear of retaliation, blacklisting – the illegal practice of using lists to prevent seafarers gaining future employment – or contract termination deters reporting.
The absence of safe reporting channels, restrictions on communication and the denial of shore leave further exacerbate these risks. Violence and harassment at sea are not isolated incidents, but systemic risks embedded in working conditions, governance gaps and weak enforcement, requiring comprehensive, worker-centred approaches to prevention and accountability.
For more on violence and harassment, discrimination, isolation and lone working and forced labour and human trafficking, see the Risks Across Transport guidance.