Pos i tion paper
of the COPE° working group for Psychological Safety, Bullying and Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment in the Maritime Sector April2023
The Center for Ocean Policy and Economics (COPE°), hosted by the Northeast Maritime Institute – Colleg e of Maritime Science, was established in 2021 as a digital policy development think tank , invest ing in salient solutions that remedy “wicked problems.” COPE° provides a safe and pragmatic system for people to connect, volunteer and work together.
The COP E° working group on Psychological Safety, Bullying and Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment in the Maritime Sector was created in 2022 to address this major issue within the maritime sector. The group consists of people from all over the world, bringing t ogether a wide variety of perspectives and experiences, yet with one common goal: to make a difference.
Th rough transparency and dialogue th e COPE° working group has found tha t it is possible to tackle wicked problem s in the maritime sector . By ensuring th at all participants are able to use their voices and be heard , the working group’s collaborative and inclusive approach to problem solving has proven to be effective.
The working group is committed to influence cha nge in the maritime sector, driven by eth ical and humanitarian values .
• Integrating vulnerable and marginalized groups, in support of diversity, equality, equity, inclusion and acceptance;
• Building on a psychologically safe workplace culture in the maritime sector;
• Examining and supporting active responses to issues related to sexual ass ault, harassment and bullying in the maritime sector;
• Supporting and honouring mariners globally; and
• Transparency and integrity.
Psychologicalsafety
is a beliefthatonewillnotbepunished or humiliated for speakingup, with ideas,questions,concernsor mistakes, and thattheteam issafefor interpersonalrisk-taking.
The absence of psychological safety is a root cause of bullying, assault and harassment in the maritime sector, including sexua l assault and sexual harassment. Feeling unsafe within the workplace is an invisible and underrated safety issue, and is something that has become normalized in the maritime sector and on board ships.
Improving education, knowledge and understanding o f psy c hological safety has an immediate and direct effect on seafarers’ mental and physical well-being Consequently, with greater well-being of seafarers comes greater onboard operational safety, security and environmental protection.
Timeline
In 2022, t he Commonwealth of Dominica Maritime Administration proposed amendments to international mandatory training requirements at relevant Committee meetings of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Proposals focused on how to establish behaviora l norms t h at support a psychologically safe and just culture in the maritime sector , with in mandatory training requirements. The proposals were based on work that w as done by members of the COPE° working group on Psychological Safety, Bullying and Sexual Assault an d Harassment in the Maritime Sector .
Dominica’s proposal created a ripple effect, as many IMO Member States supported the proposal and subsequently joined the COPE° working group .
The group expanded over 2022 , and has continued to do so in 2023 , as many people resonated with the group’s intention and purpose. Intrinsic motivation and moral ambition have proved to be the drivers for change. The main purpose of the group has been segmented into several scopes of work:
• Education and Training | Psychological safety
• Data collection and harmonization
• Reporting mechanisms and accountability
• Awareness | Podcast and Dialogue
Results
As a direct result of the working group’s efforts, IMO Committees decided to t ake the following actions :
• New mandatory training pr o visions addressing bullying and harassment in the maritime sector, including SASH, were approved and will be adopted in May 2023.
• A new competence on psychological safety will be established as part of the comprehensive review of the STCW Code (Standards for Training, Certification and Watchkeeping). Proposals will be submitted in 2023 and amendments need to be approved and adopted in 2024.
• Recommendations regarding bullying and SASH were given to the ILO and the IMO for international mechanisms and policies, such as requiring companies to establish their own policies and measures to re s pond to , and resolve , cases of bullying and harassment. This action would require an assessment of the current International Safety Management (ISM) framework.
Several m e dia sources have published articles, podcasts and campaigns on the top ic of bullying and SASH in the maritime sector . More people are continuing to shar e experiences of bullying, sexual assault and harassment, opening up discussions to start working towar d s solutions.
The COPE° working group on Psychological Safety, Bullying and Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment in the Maritime Sector has made great strides thus far, and will continue to provide a safe and pragmatic system for diverse groups of individu a ls to unite to develop and deliver impactful solutions .
More Information
Please contact Ms. Eva Lianne Veldkamp at eveldkamp@northeastmaritime.com if you wish to receive more information or are int e rested in joining the working group.
Visit the COPE° website at https://thecope.org/ .
List of Members
(in alphabeticalorder)
Abhiijt Aul
Ally Cedeno
Ambassador Nancy Karigithu
Ann Till
Anuj Chopra
Archie Br ooke
Branko Berlan
Camille Debandt
Capt. Doria
Capt. Ghulam Hussain
Capt. Oli Olsen
Capt. Sunday Umoren
Carmen Blanco
Chris Haughton
Christine MacMillan
Conrad Empson
Despoina Andrioti Bygvraa
Dinah Inape -Omenefa
Dirk Oberman
Dorotea Zec
Dr. Deepti Mankad
Elpi Petraki
Eman Abdalla
Eric Dawicki
Eva Lianne Veldkamp
Geoff Vines
Georgia Allen
Gillian McGrath
Gordon Foot
Hannah Dawicki
Harmen van der Ende
Harry Robson
Hayat Al Yabis
Heidi Heseltine
Isabel Grimpe
Jeanine Drummond
Jillian Carson -Jackson
Joanne Rawley
Joriene Beks
Jörn Hille
Kalli Morris
Karine Rayson
Katie Earnshaw
Kevin Coelho
Kim Asher
Koni Duniya
Kyle Racine
Liana Engibarjan
Mehmet Hanifi Güler
Mehra n giz Shahbakhsh
Momoko Kitada
Morgan Dawicki
Ms Morgane Sheppard
Nancy Lumbanbatu
Nicolas Hardisty
Nishant Kumar
Pam Kern
Patti Tutalo
Reem Abdulrahman
Rhea Rouw
Runa Jörgens
Sabine Zeller
Sabrina Delelis
Saleha Saikh
Sanjam Gupta
Sör e n Wichmann
Stefania Kallergi
Steve Bomgardner
Susanne Justesen
Tolga Sanal
Trine Hoffman
Welmoed van der Velde
