For the first time, every new seafarer worldwide will be required to receive formal training on how to prevent and respond to sexual harassment, bullying, and assault — a move Christian maritime leaders say marks a long-overdue shift in protecting some of the world’s most isolated and vulnerable workers.
The International Christian Maritime Association (ICMA) welcomed new amendments adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) that took effect Jan. 1, 2026, establishing a global baseline to address violence and harassment at sea. The changes, embedded in mandatory seafarer training requirements, replace a patchwork system in which safeguards were left largely to individual flag states and shipping companies.
Amendments are included to the Seafarers' Training, Certification and Watchkeeping Code (STCW Code). This provides minimum mandatory requirements for basic training for seafarers and include both prevention and response clauses to violence and harassment in the maritime sector, including sexual harassment, bullying and sexual assault.
Philip C. Schifflin, Jr., Esq, Director, Center for Mariner Advocacy for the ICMA, told Christian Daily International that the global Christian maritime association supports these new requirements.
“These training requirements alone certainly won’t result in the elimination of this type of negative behavior; but it is an important step,” said Schifflin.
“For too long, whether a mariner received training about what type of behavior was acceptable, and how to respond to negative behavior was left to individual flag states and shipping companies to decide. Now there is a baseline of training that every mariner will be required to have.”
The amendments are for new Personal Safety and Social Responsibilities (PSSR) certificates from Jan. 1, 2026 onwards to work on commercial vessels or superyachts.
Current PSSR certificates contain training modules for Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping (STC) Basic Safety Training on emergency procedures, pollution prevention, safe working practices and human relationships.
The amendments expand the human relationships section to include mandatory bullying and harassment prevention and response clauses.
However, most major maritime authorities reportedly confirmed that existing seafarers do not need to renew their PSSR certificates with the amendments on preventing bullying and sex crimes, until their old certificates end.
In October 2024, Christian Daily International interviewed Nicolaj Wibe, the head of Somandsmissionen (Seafarers Mission) based in Denmark and Greenland, possibly the only known evangelistic ministry supporting people working at sea.
Loneliness is the greatest challenge for the seafaring men who work hard on ships in bitter sub-zero temperatures within the Arctic Circle, said Wibe, at the time.
“They are so important for our daily lives but we [the public] never see them,” Wibe pointed out.
“In the supermarkets we have what we need but who brings these goods to us? It is the seafarers!” said Wibe.
“It is so hard for these men and it’s a calling from God for us to show them good deeds, talk with them, to get food for them and give fellowship, to give them Christian welfare. That’s the purpose we have. Nobody except this seamen’s mission takes care of these people."
Cruise ships coming into Denmark and Greenland pose a particular challenge. Wibe explained that for the crews on board “it’s very, very often awful. It’s extremely hard.”
For the guests, the ships represented luxury with a large service offering, plenty of food and wine “when you need it.” But the crews work extremely hard to ensure the hospitality is of a high standard.
“We do what we can to be connected to them,” said Wibe. “There are maybe between one to one-and-a-half thousand members of crews on these cruises. There are a lot of females and one of the biggest challenges is that they work so hard from early morning. They miss their families so much and sometimes they use alcohol or drugs on board just to survive.”
While not addressing all of the wide-ranging challenges, the new protections could be a first step to serve as a reminder that seafarers are not invisible—and that their lives, well-being, and dignity matter.
