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These words were uttered by Nwabisa Matoti (left), the Director of Strategy and Internationalisation at the South African International Maritime Institute (SAIMI).
The International Day of the Seafarer with the theme "My Harassment-Free Ship” was celebrated on 25 June 2025 worldwide and SAIMI hosted part of the South African celebrations at Nelson Mandela University’s Ocean Sciences Campus. SAIMI is located in this campus.
Experts from the Department of Transport, South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) and Transnet, along with government officials, industry specialists, policymakers, students, researchers and staff members, gathered to take part in the event.
The theme aimed to ignite and reinforce an environment where harassment on ships is completely unacceptable and met with zero-tolerance aboard all vessels.
With Khomotjo Mphahlele - a nuanced seafarer with over two decades of experience - as the event facilitator, the audience offered insights and solutions to address the current plights of the profession.
Aspiring seafarers.
The event sparked nostalgic sympathy with seafarers who experienced harassment first hand.
To some seafarers the dialogue felt as an opening of old wounds, whilst it gave others the courage and urged them to become catalysts for change and combat the silence.
Although Ms Matoti acknowledged how harassment is a challenge in the workplace, let alone on ships, she emphasised that the dialogue serves as a contribution in ensuring that seafarers feel safe, respected and heard.
She said: “In 2021, the International Transport Workers' Federation reported that one in four seafarers, specifically women and minority crew, had experienced bullying or harassment at sea. And yet these incidents remain unreported as the power dynamics at play can be absolute, leaving those affected feeling utterly isolated and voiceless”.
“So, we say today, my harassment free the ship. With that, we are not just imagining a better vessel environment but demanding a better world,” she said.
Matoti asserted that the sector has taken measures to strengthen policies with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) taking steps to amend the Maritime Labour Convention to address this challenge.
She concluded by saying “You deserve to work on a ship where your humanity is never questioned. Let it be the moment we say not only with slogans, but with systems, that every ship must be a harassment-free ship”.
Chief Director of Maritime Policy and Legislation at the Department of Transport Dumisani Ntuli (left), stated that it is about empowering every seafarer “regardless of rank, gender, nationality or age to speak to be heard and to be safe”.
He urged the government, industry, all unions and civil society to work together to ensure that every ship is a vessel of safety, of equity and of respect.
He reported that the findings of a recent global study among 1,228 female seafarers across 78 countries, were both revealing and troubling.
According to the survey, 66% of respondents reported experiencing harassment or intimidation from male colleagues, and 25% had faced physical or sexual harassment, while 60% reported being subjected to gender-based discrimination.
These numbers, he noted, paint a stark picture of life at sea for many women, a reality that can no longer be ignored.
From a policy maker perspective, Ntuli noted that some cases stem from a lack of training in recognising and reporting harassment. Therefore, “integrating mandatory training to help seafarers identify and respond to harassment is crucial”.
The facilitator Ms Mphahlele shared that she witnessed the harassment and experienced it first-hand a couple of years ago.
She was discriminated against regarding her identity, by a male captain colleague, who said her hair look “untamed, unmanageable and unprofessional”.
The harassment exacerbated when the captain made inappropriate remarks regarding her body, making her feel uncomfortable and unsafe. “I was a high performer, and I could tell that he wanted to bring me down a notch but that did not stop me from continuing rising through the ranks”.
Pertunia Banda. a seafarer navigational officer, who saw it happening as well as to her said, “I didn’t have the courage to report, I just decided to keep quite because I felt terrified that I might lose my job.”
Lelethu Nduku, a fisher, noted that newcomers like herself who try to report any form of mistreatment, are often dismissed with responses like, “I went through the same thing what’s so special about you? Toughen up and move on.”
Anda Magida, a SAIMI supported deck cadet, shared that through the commemoration day, she learned the importance of speaking out, because “If I keep quiet, I’m allowing it to happen.” She expressed a strong desire to see the phrase “what happens at sea, stays at sea” abolished. In her vision of a #HarassmentFreeShip,” perpetrators should not be supported but abolished”.
Andrew Millard, the CEO of Vuka Marine, gave an industry perspective by pointing out that “studies have shown that harassment and bullying are widespread in the maritime industry.” Therefore, continuous learning and awareness building are essential to fostering a respectful and inclusive environment.
This involves multiple channels, such as meetings, newsletters, posters and digital platforms to ensure that everyone is aware of the policies. Additionally, “the sector must ensure that there are transparent reporting mechanisms in place.”