WASHINGTON — The U.S. maritime industry plays a critical role in the nation’s economy and defense, but existing policies and practices fail to meet the needs of this large and crucial workforce. In recent years, high-profile instances of sexual misconduct involving alcohol use have put a spotlight on these challenges and prompted the need for action. 

A new congressionally mandated report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine calls for the prohibition of alcohol possession and use by crew on ships registered in the United States and systemic reforms to prevent interpersonal violence, including sexual misconduct, and to improve mariner health and well-being. With a focus on actions that can be taken by the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD), the report also makes recommendations to improve training, credentialing, and recredentialing at maritime academies and throughout a mariner’s career.

“Promoting health and wellness and preventing harm will drive long-term, meaningful change in the maritime industry,” said Joshua M. Sharfstein, vice dean for public health practice and community engagement and distinguished professor of the practice at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and chair of the committee that wrote the report. “Our recommendations seek to protect our mariners and ensure they have a work environment free of substance misuse and sexual misconduct.”

Updating Policies on Alcohol Use and Intake
Misuse of alcohol on maritime vessels has led to accidents and incidents of harmful and dangerous behaviors, including sexual misconduct. The report recommends a prohibition of alcohol possession and use by crew on U.S.-flagged vessels and says the Coast Guard should also update maritime policies to align with those of other transportation industries on acceptable blood alcohol content (BAC) limits and institute reasonable-cause tests to identify mariners in violation of those policies. Alcohol should also be included in random testing programs, and monitoring and compliance practices should meet industry best practices.

Mariner credentialing should be updated to incorporate validated screening tools for alcohol and other substance misuse to help identify applicants at risk of impairment and assist in guiding them to appropriate interventions, the report says. Credentialed mariners should be required to disclose new convictions or administrative actions related to alcohol and substance misuse, which should be considered prior to credential renewal periods.

Prevention, Response, and Accountability
The committee found that existing policies pertaining to substance misuse and sexual misconduct are disjointed and often do not meet the standards of other safety-critical, high-reliability industries. The report urges the Coast Guard to implement better reporting policies that include appropriate amnesty for individuals reporting substance misuse and sexual misconduct, protecting people from retaliation, and mandatory trauma-informed training for personnel responding to such cases. Accountability mechanisms for captains and other senior leadership need to be strengthened, and research and guidelines on best practices should be developed and implemented.

Established in 2021, following allegations of sexual misconduct on commercial vessels, the Every Mariner Builds a Respectful Culture (EMBARC) program is a voluntary sexual-assault prevention and response initiative. The committee examined EMBARC and recommended that MARAD study the program further to determine its effectiveness in preventing sexual misconduct and other prohibited behavior on vessels. Additionally, the Coast Guard should identify and adopt industry-wide standards for sexual misconduct prevention and response that apply to all U.S.-flagged vessels, not just those that participate in EMBARC.

Mariner Well-Being and Mental Health
In addition to practical barriers that limit access to physical and mental health services while on duty, there are policies that can prevent mariners from accessing the care they need. The report recommends MARAD conduct research into different interventions and their impact on mariner health and well-being and assess current insurance coverage, employee assistance programs, and clinician licensing rules to ensure mariners have access to effective treatments and support programs.

State telemedicine laws can restrict medical providers in one state from providing care to mariners while on ships out of state. Congress is urged to consider legislation allowing medical professionals to provide care to mariners regardless of location.

The committee spoke to leaders of maritime education and training programs and identified challenges that they face with alcohol misuse and sexual misconduct on their campuses. To promote cultural changes and set high expectations for mariner behavior from the onset of their careers, MARAD should provide maritime academies and training institutes with guidance and training materials that address substance misuse and sexual misconduct. Adherence to the guidance should be evaluated for positive impact and included in the institutions’ accreditation activities.

Data Collection
The committee noted that there is limited evidence on the true scope of substance misuse and its consequences in the maritime industry. The Coast Guard should initiate a data collection effort for the entire U.S. maritime industry, incorporating results from cadet surveys, alcohol and other substance testing, disciplinary actions for sexual misconduct, mariner surveys, and other relevant sources. The surveys should assess population-level prevalence of risky behaviors, trends over time, and the degree to which they are reported.

Undertaken by the Committee on Alcohol at Sea, the study was sponsored the U.S. Coast Guard.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine are private, nonprofit institutions that provide independent, objective analysis and advice to the nation to solve complex problems and inform public policy decisions related to science, engineering, and medicine. They operate under an 1863 congressional charter to the National Academy of Sciences, signed by President Lincoln.

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