Discrimination in maritime supply chains undermines equal access to decent work, fair treatment and career progression. Seafarers are recruited from a limited number of labour-providing countries, creating hierarchies and dynamics on board ships where nationality, race or ethnicity can determine wages, job allocation and treatment. Workers from lower-income countries may be paid less for equivalent roles, given poorer living conditions and assigned more hazardous tasks. This treatment is inconsistent with ILO principles on non-discrimination and equal remuneration, and is exacerbated on FOC ships where weak oversight lets the disparities persist.
Women seafarers remain severely underrepresented and face barriers to entry, unequal opportunities and heightened exposure to harassment and exclusion. Ship design, facilities and workplace culture are often not adapted to support women, reinforcing structural inequality.
Migrant status further compounds discrimination risks. Seafarers working across jurisdictions face unequal access to rights, limited legal protection and barriers to remedy. Language differences and cultural hierarchies marginalise particular groups, reducing their ability to raise concerns or participate in safety processes, and leaving them more vulnerable to intimidation or retaliation.
Discrimination at sea is closely linked to risks including violence and harassment, unequal remuneration and restricted access to grievance mechanisms. Seafarers can be directly targeted through abusive practices, including bullying, intimidation and economic exploitation – wage theft and withheld pay – on grounds of nationality, rank or gender. In isolated, hierarchical environments this remains hidden, increasing vulnerability and exposing seafarers to cumulative harm, particularly where fear of retaliation, loss of employment or blacklisting – the illegal practice of using lists to prevent seafarers gaining future employment – discourages reporting.
On FOC ships, weak enforcement of labour standards allows discrimination to evade accountability. In extreme cases, the abuse may meet forced labour indicators, such as restriction of movement, retention of documents or threats of blacklisting.
For more on discrimination, violence and harassment, remuneration and forced labour and human trafficking, see the Risks Across Transport guidance.