In early November, we posted that the United States Maritime Academy at King’s Point had paused Sea Year, a program that sent cadets to sea aboard commercial ships, after a female midshipman at the school shared an account in September of being raped by a crew member while serving at sea. This was the second suspension of the program in the last six years over allegations of sexual harassment and assault.
Last Wednesday, the Transportation Department announced an overhaul of policies designed to prevent U.S. Merchant Marine Academy cadets from suffering sexual abuse while at sea and plans to resume training on commercial vessels next week.
The Washington Post reports that the rules, called Every Mariner Builds a Respectful Culture, or EMBARC, set out detailed measures that shipping companies and the academy must take to help keep cadets safe. The new standards spell out 30 safety measures and open the door to restarting the Sea Year program. Sea Year training enables cadets to obtain the training days at sea necessary to become eligible for a U.S. Coast Guard merchant officer license examination.
Acting Maritime Administrator Lucinda Lessley said the new standards reflect a commitment by her agency, the Coast Guard and six state maritime schools “to strengthen safety for cadets aboard commercial vessels, and to support an inclusive culture that prioritizes preventing sexual assault and harassment and supporting its victims.”
The standards call for captains to alert the academy to any allegations of abuse within 24 hours and report complaints to the Coast Guard, which has law enforcement authority.
“Sexual assault is a crime,” said Rear Adm. John Mauger, the Coast Guard’s assistant commandant for prevention policy. “When they happen aboard a U.S. vessel, it must be reported to the Coast Guard. Coast Guard investigators will respond, and we will hold offenders accountable.”
The standards require shipping companies to have a trained sexual assault and harassment coordinator who is in regular contact with cadets. It also calls for crew training and steps by captains to reinforce that training. It includes specific prohibitions on crew members entering cadets’ bedrooms and a requirement for locks on bedroom doors.
Not all are convinced that the new rules will be sufficient. Ryan Melogy, who runs Maritime Legal Aid and Advocacy, which first posted the account of the midshipman being raped at sea, questioned how effective the new procedures will be because the Transportation Department has limited authority to hold shipping companies accountable.
“The companies will never properly self-regulate on the issue of shipboard sexual misconduct,” he said. “They will always do what maximizes profits. I don’t see any accountability built into this plan.”