To achieve Well-being in working on board ship

A Handbook on the Prevention of Bullying
and Harassment on Board Ship

The Maritime Human Resource Institute, Japan

1

Contents
1. Guidance on Eliminating Shipboard Harassment and bullying
Published by International Chamber of Shipping / International Transport
Workers’ Federation.............................................................................................. 3

2. The revised act requires employers to take measures to prevent power
harassment in the workplace, from April 1, 2022 (Japan).................... 19
3. The health effects of harassment, The health effects of harassment (atwork)................................................................................................................. 20
4. Establishment and operation of an effective harassment consultationdesk................................................................................................................... 22
5. MLC – Maritime Labor Convention, 2006 (MLC, 2006)
Regulation 5.1.5-Onboard complaint Procedures and Regulation 5.2.1-Inspections
in Port................................................................................................................. 33

6. Chapter 5 caption (re-post) on "4R"
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Department of
Health & Human Services, USA, SAMHSA's Concept of Trauma and Guidance for a
Trauma-Informed Approach, 2014. .................................................................... 41

7. Four Anxiety.................................................................................................... 43
8. Example Company Policy on Harassment and Bullying........................ 44
9. Building human relationships and trust through onboard
communication.............................................................................................. 46
10. Summary of Survey Results on Bullying Harassment onboard
Conducted by The Maritime Human Resource Institute, Japan, 2023................. 53

2

GUIDANCE ON
ELIMINATING shipboard
HARASSMENT AND BULLYINGINTERNATIONAL CHAMBER OF SHIPPINGInternational Transport Workers’ Federation

3

2

4

GUIDANCE ON
ELIMINATING shipboard
HARASSMENT AND BULLYING

Table of Contents
Foreword

4

Introduction

5

Aim of the guidance

6

What is harassment?

7

What is bullying?

8

A company policy on harassment and bullying

9– Commitment from seafarers’ organisations

9

Identifying and reporting incidentsof harassment and bullying

10– Reporting10– Shipowner complaints procedure

10– Harassment and bullying grievance procedure

10– Responding to a complaint of bullying
and/or harassment

11– Informal process

11– Formal process

11– Confidentiality

11– Hearings

11– Resolution of case/action

11

Measures to eliminate harassment and bullying

12

Communication and awareness

13– Awareness-raising activities

13

Appendices
1. Example company policy on harassment and bullying 14

5

2. Suggested text of leaflet for seafarers

14

Acknowledgements

15

Additional resources

15

Foreword
Guy Ryder
Director-General of theInternational Labour Organization
Under the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006,
each Member State is required to satisfy itself thatthe provisions of its law and regulations respect
the fundamental right to the elimination of
discrimination in respect of employment
and occupation.
Harassment and bullying on board ships canhave serious consequences for the physical andemotional health of seafarers, lead to decreased
motivation and increased sickness and cancompromise cohesive and effective teamwork.
It can also have negative effects for companies,
resulting in a deterioration of working conditions
and potential organisational, economic andlegal consequences.
In recent years, awareness of this issue within themaritime workplace has increased and it is now ofconcern to all ILO Member States.
As a ship is often a seafarer’s home for many
months, harassment and bullying can be ofconcern given the shipboard living and working
environment, isolation, size and proximity of cabins
and the necessity to remain at the workplace
during rest periods.
This guidance has been prepared by shipowners’
and seafarers’ organisations working together toeliminate harassment and bullying and improve theworking environment on board the world’s ships.
I therefore welcome the widespread disseminationof this guidance.

6

Introduction
In some cases, those committing acts of harassment andbullying do so intentionally. However, there are also actions
which can be classed as harassment and/or bullying that
occur unwittingly, rather than as a result of any deliberatemalign intention. Hence the adoption and encouragementof management styles that do not involve aggressive andintimidating behaviours would also make an important
contribution to the eradication of workplace harassment
and bullying.

All seafarers have the right to work without sufferingharassment and bullying. Unfortunately, however, there areseafarers that are victims of harassment and bullying on
board ships. It is the responsibility of:• Shipping companies to ensure that policies are in place forthe elimination of all forms of harassment and bullying of
seafarers on board their ships; and• Seafarers’ organisations and seafarers to ensure thatharassment and bullying do not take place.

For companies, there are also strong legal and economic
reasons for eliminating harassment and bullying:

Shipping companies and seafarers’ organisations arecommitted to producing materials to draw attention to theissues and to highlight potential actions to resolve these.

• It is a matter of good employment practice to foster aworking environment in which seafarers can work free ofharassment and bullying;

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and theInternational Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) consider
harassment and bullying to be unacceptable and havetogether produced the following guidance for shipping
companies, seafarers and seafarers’ organisations and otherparties, including training providers, on what they can do toeliminate harassment and bullying. If any seafarer complainsof having been the victim of harassment and/or bullying,complaints must be taken seriously and investigated.

• Seafarers who suffer harassment and bullying can feeldemotivated and are more likely to suffer from stressleading to absence from duties;• They are also more likely to want to leave theiremployment, resulting in additional recruitment expenses
for the company; and• Some employees who have suffered harassment havebrought successful claims of discrimination.

Harassment and bullying are examples of conduct thatis unwanted and causes detrimental effects, which
may include:• Stress;• Lack of motivation;• Reduced work performance;• Absence from duties; and• Resignations.
Harassment includes any inappropriate and unwelcome
conduct which, whether intentionally or not, creates feelingsof unease, humiliation, embarrassment or discomfort for
the recipient.
Bullying is a particular form of harassment that includes
hostile or vindictive behaviour, which can cause the recipient
to feel threatened or intimidated.

7

Aim of the guidance
For Shipping companies
These guidelines aim to assist companies to:• Develop policies and plans to eliminate harassment and bullying on board ships; and• Involve its seafarers and/or seafarers’ organisations in this process.
Where appropriate and taking account of national legal systems, company policies on harassment
and bullying should be incorporated into collective bargaining agreements.

For Seafarers
These guidelines aim to assist seafarers to:• Recognise examples of harassment and/or bullying;• Identify incidents through the use of effective grievance procedures;• Get involved in situations where they see other seafarers being harassed and bullied in the workplace
to support them when necessary;• Avoid bullying and harassing others;• Report if bullying and harassment is observed or experienced;• Apply and comply with the company’s policies;• Use the company’s procedures on bullying and harassment;• Seek help and support when necessary from seafarers’ organisations and other welfare bodies; and• Appreciate the benefits of a workplace free from harassment and bullying.

8What is harassment?
Harassment is a form of discrimination which has the purpose or effectof violating the dignity of a person and of creating an intimidating,hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment.

Examples of harassment
The following may be found to be examples of harassment:• Displaying or circulating offensive or suggestive material;• Innuendo, mockery, lewd or sexist/racist/homophobic
jokes or remarks;• Use of offensive language in describing or making funof someone with a disability;• Comments about a person’s physical appearance orcharacter which cause embarrassment or distress;• Unwelcome attention such as spying, stalking,pestering, overly familiar behaviour or unwelcome
verbal or physical attention;• Making or sending unwanted, sexually suggestive, hostileor personally intrusive telephone calls, text messages,
emails, comments on social networks, faxes or letters;• Unwarranted, intrusive or persistent questioning about aperson’s age, marital status, personal life, sexual interests
or orientation, or similar questions about a person’s racialor ethnic origin, including their culture or religion;• Unwelcome sexual advances or repeated requests fordates or threats;• Suggestions that sexual favours may further a person’s
career, or that not offering them may adversely affecttheir career;• Leering, rude gestures, touching, grabbing, patting orother unnecessary bodily contact such as brushing up
against others; and• Spreading malicious rumours, or insulting someone(particularly regarding age, race, marriage, civil partnership,pregnancy and maternity, sex, disability, sexual orientation,
religion or belief, and gender reassignment).

9

What is bullying?
Bullying is a form of harassment that includes hostile or vindictive behaviour, which can cause therecipient to feel threatened or intimidated. It results in a work environment in which a group of people
or an individual may become threatened or intimidated because of the negative or hostile behaviour ofanother group of people or individual.
Bullying may involve a misuse of power or position and is often persistent and unpredictable. It may bevindictive, cruel or malicious. However it can also arise when a person is unaware of the effect that their
behaviour is having on other persons, or does not have any intention to bully.

Examples of bullying
The following may be found to be examples of bullying:• Shunning people at work and rebuffing their efforts tointegrate with others if they are believed to ‘not fit in’;• Verbal or physical threats or abuse, such as shouting
or swearing at colleagues, either in public or in private,including derogatory or stereotyped statementsor remarks;• Cyber bullying including inappropriate:– Suggestive and unwanted remarks;– Graphics or threat-centred, abusive emails;• Personal insults;– Postings on social networks; and• Belittling or ridiculing a person, or his/her abilities,
either in private or in front of others;– Text messages.

• Sudden rages or displays of temper against an individual
or group, often for trivial reasons;• There are sometimes situations when excuses are madeto, define or refer to behaviour or situations between
people at work which may involve ‘hidden’ bullying:• Subjecting someone to unnecessary excessive or
oppressive supervision, monitoring everything they door being excessively critical of minor things;– Strong or robust management styles;– A working relationship that is described as a‘personality clash’;• Persistent or unjustified criticism;• Making unreasonable demands of staff or colleagues;– Someone being described as ‘over-sensitive’ or ‘unable
to take a joke’;• Setting menial or demeaning tasks that are inappropriate
to the job or taking away areas of responsibility from anindividual for no justifiable reason;– Describing someone as having an ‘attitude problem’;– A manager who ‘has a low tolerance for non-safety
critical mistakes which are made unintentionally; and• Ignoring or excluding an individual from social
events, team meetings, discussions and collective
decisions or planning;– Making fun of someone who has made a minor mistakeat work.

• Making threats or inappropriate comments aboutcareer prospects, job security or performance appraisal
reports; and• Spreading malicious rumours, or insulting someone(particularly regarding age, race, marriage, civil partnership,pregnancy and maternity, sex, disability, sexual orientation,
religion or belief, and gender reassignment).

10

A company policy on
harassment and bullying
Companies should ensure that they have a clearly written
policy statement on the elimination of harassment andbullying. An example of such a policy can be found at
Appendix 1.

Seafarers’ organisations should also support and promoteadherence to the company policy and the procedures within
and thus contribute to elimination of harassment andbullying on board ships.

The policy statement should:

The policy should include a statement regarding cyberbullying. An example of a suitable statement could be:• Contain a message from the Chief Executive or equivalent
in the company;‘Cyber bullying is the use of modern communication
technologies to harass, embarrass, humiliate, threaten, or
intimidate an individual in an attempt to gain power andcontrol over them. The use of the company’s communicationequipment for such purposes will be treated as a serious
breach of the company code of conduct and result in
disciplinary action against perpetrators’.

• Set out the company’s commitment to the elimination ofharassment and bullying from on board ships and the goalof a working environment in which there is respect for the
dignity and well-being of all seafarers;• Identify a director or appropriate member of senior
management in the company as the person with overall
responsibility for the policy;

The company might also consider running workshops
and/or seminars to ensure smooth implementation andunderstanding of the policy.

• Contain examples of the types of behaviour that may
be classed as harassment and bullying (see page 7 and 8);
andA company statement to all staff about the company’s
policy, standards of behaviour expected and the support itwill provide can help make all individuals fully aware of their
responsibilities to others.

• Contain contact information to enable seafarers toreport incidents.
The company may wish to discuss the policy with employee
representatives and/or seafarers’ organisations to obtain theirsupport and commitment.
Once agreed, the company should ensure that all seafarers
and relevant shore based personnel, are made aware of thepolicy and understand it. They should be presented withcopies of documents containing the policy and a similar
document should be displayed prominently on noticeboards
on board ships and in shore-side offices.

Commitment fromseafarers’ organisations
Seafarers’ organisations should have a clearly written policy
statement on the elimination of harassment and bullying.
It should:• Set out ways that encourage those who witness
harassment and bullying to report such incidences either
on board, or to a director ashore or appropriate memberof senior management ashore with overall responsibility
for the policy.

• Remind seafarers that the ship is often their fellow
crew members’ home for a long period of time and itis therefore very important for everyone to respect one
another and to recognise different cultural styles andbehaviours, and to embrace diversity on board the ship.
This may mean learning to modify behaviour to avoid
unintentionally upsetting a fellow seafarer;

Seafarers’ organisations should also produce informationmaterials regarding how to handle incidences ofcyber bullying.

• Remind seafarers of their responsibilities towards
fellow crew members in situations where they observeharassment and bullying; and11

Identifying and reporting incidentsof harassment and bullying
ReportingHarassment and bullying
grievance procedure

In order to tackle harassment and bullying, it is importantthat the company actively encourages its seafarers to bringincidents to its attention without delay.

Companies should have procedures to report and handle
complaints of harassment and bullying in which all seafarers
have confidence. This will only be effective if seafarers arewilling to intervene when necessary to support colleagues
that are affected. Companies may wish to consider keeping
this procedure separate from the general company grievanceprocedure. It should be consistent with the company’s
complaints procedures.

Addressing harassment and bullying on board ships
requires seafarers to report incidents, including thosethat affect others.
On board ships sufferers of harassment and bullying
may endure it until the end of the voyage and ask to betransferred to a different vessel for their next voyage,
instead of reporting it.

The company should designate a person or persons to act
as the first point of reference for each seafarer that wishes
to make a complaint. This person could be a member of the
ship’s crew, a company employee based ashore, or a person
designated by the company to act on its behalf.

complaints proceduresCompanies should maintain fair procedures for dealing
promptly with complaints from seafarers. Complaints ofharassment and bullying can usually be dealt with using clear
grievance and disciplinary procedures. Such procedures should:

If the designated person is a company employee, that person
should be given the authority to deal with the complaint,
or to choose to refer it to a higher level in the company. As
well as the formal procedure, the company should provide
the victim of harassment or bullying with the option, attheir discretion, of resolving their complaint informally. This
could involve the victim explaining the effects of the alleged
perpetrator’s actions in the presence of another person fromthe company trained in resolution of complaints. The alleged
perpetrator may then be offered an opportunity to apologise
for their actions and undertake not to repeat them. A victim
should never be made to face an alleged perpetrator if they
do not wish to.

• Provide for confidentiality;• Provide safeguards against victimisation of
the complainant;• Provide safeguards for both the person making
the complaint and the alleged perpetrator to beaccompanied by a fellow employee or seafarer
representative of their choice; and• Ensure that the parties to the complaint are treatedwith equal dignity and fairness.

The company may wish to:• Consider using an independent third party based ashore
to whom those suffering harassment or bullying might
address their complaints; or

It is important that seafarers are aware that complaints ofbullying or harassment, or information from staff relating
to such complaints, will be dealt with fairly, confidentially,
sensitively and expeditiously. Seafarers may be reluctant tocome forward if they feel they:• Make its seafarers aware of confidential helplines provided
by seafarers’ organisations.
A system whereby complaints are heard by others onboard
may be effective on ships with large numbers of crew
members and officers.

• May be treated unsympathetically; or• Are likely to be confronted aggressively by the person
about whose behaviour they complain.

Where a ship has a smaller crew complement, it may also
be advisable for a point of contact ashore to be available tocrew members for the reporting of incidents.

12

Responding to a complaint ofbullying and/or harassment

Confidentiality

Complaints should be investigated promptly and objectively,
recognising that seafarers do not normally make an accusation
unless they feel seriously aggrieved. Any investigation must be
seen to be objective and independent.

• Investigate every complaint in a way appropriate to thecircumstances and in accordance with company policy
and procedures;Companies should:• Ensure that no seafarer who makes a complaint
suffers repercussions; andCompanies investigating claims of harassment and bullying
should consider all the circumstances and conduct an objective
investigation before reaching a conclusion. Seafarers should be
able to be accompanied or represented, and be provided withsafeguards against the possibility of victimization for filingcomplaints. “Victimization” covers any adverse action taken
by any person with respect to lodging a complaint which is
not manifestly vexatious or maliciously made.

• Include the right of the seafarer to be accompanied or
represented during the complaints procedure as well
as safeguards against the possibility of victimization ofseafarers for filing complaints.
Where possible, a complaint of sexual harassment should
be investigated by an individual of the same gender as the
person raising the complaint.

Informal process
Hearings

If a seafarer believes they are being harassed, they shouldtell the person responsible that they find their behaviour
inappropriate and ask them to stop. Sometimes people are
not aware that their behaviour is unwelcome and causing
distress. Seafarers may choose to refer any incident(s) of
harassment confidentially to the person designated as thefirst point of reference on board the ship or ashore. The
designated person should listen to the complaint and provide
support and assistance if the victim does not wish to initiate
a formal process. An informal discussion can often lead togreater understanding and an agreement for the behaviour
to cease.

Procedures should provide that hearings, including any
resulting disciplinary hearings, are held in confidence.
Companies should advise the parties involved of their rightto be accompanied by an appropriate person who can, on aconfidential basis, provide seafarers with impartial advice on
their complaint and otherwise assist them in following thecomplaints procedure.
The principles of fair treatment should be applied to all
disciplinary and grievance hearings. The respondent shouldhave the right to answer any complaint and give their versionof events and circumstances. Both the complainant and the
respondent should be able to call witnesses. The company
should also keep a written record of decisions taken.

Formal process
If harassment and bullying continues, or a victim is unable
or unwilling to confront the alleged perpetrator, then the
alleged incident should be reported to the designated person
on board the ship. A meeting should be arranged where theseafarer may be accompanied by another seafarer of theirchoice on board the ship concerned, at which the victim will
be asked to make a formal complaint. Where a complaint
has been made, an investigation should take place inaccordance with company procedures to determine whether
action should be taken.

Resolution of case/action
Upon resolution, if the complaint is upheld, the company
and seafarers’ organisation should ensure that appropriate
action is taken with regard to handling the perpetrator of
the harassment when taking remedial action and provision ofnecessary support to the victim. It would be inappropriate torespond by simply moving the victim to a different job or ship
as a way of resolving a case of harassment or bullying.

Where an investigation shows that a complaint is well foundedit may be necessary to separate those involved. If practicable,in these instances every effort should be made to move thealleged perpetrator and not the affected seafarer, unless theaffected seafarer has expressed a desire to be transferred.
If it is decided to follow disciplinary proceedings the person
being investigated should be able to be represented by anappropriate person.
Companies may wish to establish procedures in conjunction
with the relevant seafarers’ organisation(s).
13Measures to eliminate
harassment and bullying
Company disciplinary codes may identify certain acts which
could constitute harassment and/or bullying for which
disciplinary action may be taken. Examples include:

The company should clearly identify standards of behaviour
expected of seafarers. Seafarers should know to whom they
can turn if they have a work-related problem, and managers
should be trained in all aspects of the company’s policies inthis sensitive area.

• Physical assault including sexual assault;• Intimidation;

Staff handbooks are a good way of communicatingwith seafarers and can focus on the company’s policy on
eliminating harassment and bullying, the support available
and consequences for any seafarer considered to be inbreach of the company policy.

• Coercion;• Interference with the work of other seafarers; and• Conduct based on gender affecting the dignity of womenand men at work which is unwanted, unreasonable and/or
offensive to the recipient.

Likewise seafarers should:• Support the right of everyone to be treated with dignity
and respect at work;

It is possible that sexual harassment may be deemed to haveoccurred irrespective of whether it was intended by thealleged perpetrator. This is because it is related to the effectit has on the individual concerned.

• Actively embrace a working environment in whichharassment and bullying are not tolerated;

Shipping companies and seafarers organisations should:• Respect appropriate standards of behaviour;• Support the right of everyone to be treated with dignity
and respect at work;• Know to whom they can turn if they have a work-related
problem; and• Actively promote a working environment in whichharassment and bullying are not tolerated; and• Ensure colleagues are aware of their responsibilities under
the company’s policy.

• Ensure that all seafarers are aware of their responsibilities.

14

Communication and awareness
Policies will only eliminate harassment and bullying on board
ships if supported by positive action to make them effective.
Therefore communication and awareness is important toensure that seafarers:• Understand the company’s commitment to prevent
harassment and bullying;• Understand their responsibility and role in the process;• Know how to seek advice and guidance; and• Know how to make a complaint and are confident they
will be heard effectively.
Companies and seafarers’ organisations can help ensure that
their commitment to eliminate harassment and bullying iscommunicated effectively through for example:• Awareness programmes;• Briefings to seafarers;• Posters;• Notices on staff notice boards;• A section in the staff handbook;• Management guides;• Seafarer guides;• Advisers who can guide seafarers through thepolicy and procedures;• Articles in the staff/union magazines;• Inclusions in briefing meetings; and• Inductions.
All policies and procedures should be kept under review toensure they remain effective.

Awareness-raising Activities
Companies and seafarers organisations may wish to:• Arrange for seafarers to participate in educational
programmes explaining the undesirable effects ofharassment and bullying and setting out thecompany’s policy;• Use programmes to set out the mechanics of thecompany’s procedures for the reporting of incidents;• Consider provision of literature, posters and videos tounderpin and reinforce corporate policies; or• Make training programmes available to all new andexisting employees.

15Appendices
Appendix 1
Example Company Policy on Harassment and Bullying
Company x will treat all complaints of harassment and bullying seriously and in strict confidence.
Your senior officer on board and personnel manager ashore have been trained in dealing with complaints ofharassment and bullying. You may approach either or both to report any incident you have suffered.
The company considers any complaint of cyber bullying to be a serious issue.
If you do not feel comfortable raising a complaint yourself, you may ask a friend or colleague to do so on your behalf.
You will not be penalised by the company for making a complaint, provided it is not vexatious or made maliciously.
Remember, it is the victim’s perception of any actions that counts. If YOU feel you have suffered harassment or bullying,
the company will look into the issue raised.
Company Name:
Contacts:

Appendix 2
Suggested text of leaflet for seafarers
Obligations and responsibilities of seafarers
No seafarers should be harassed or bullied on board ships. All seafarers have a responsibility for ensuring that their ship
is free of harassment and bullying. Your company takes harassment and bullying very seriously.
Do you harass or bully other seafarers?
Harassment includes any act which creates feelings of unease, humiliation, embarrassment, intimidation, or discomfort
to the person on the receiving end.
Bullying may include any negative or hostile behaviour that makes a recipient feel intimidated. You may be unaware of
the effect of your own actions on other seafarers and may need to modify your approach. Possible examples include:• Do you consider that your way of doing a job is always right?
• Do you raise your voice at others?
• Are you sarcastic or patronising to others?
• Do you criticise individuals in front of others?
• Do you criticise minor non-safety critical errors and fail to give credit for good work?
• Do you shun any others or spread rumours or malicious gossip?
If you are concerned that aspects of your behaviour could be considered harassment or bullying, your company canhelp you to eradicate these aspects. However, you should approach your line manager and seek assistance – don’t wait
until a complaint is made against you!

16

Acknowledgements
ICS and ITF would like to acknowledge the contributions of thefollowing organisations in the production of this guidance:• European Community Shipowners’ Associations• European Transport Workers’ Federation• International Labour Organization• Nautilus International• UK Chamber of Shipping

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
A useful package of materials relevant to the elimination of harassment and bullying,including videos and workbooks, has been produced by the European Community
Shipowners’ Associations, the European Transport Workers’ Federation and Videotel.
These resources can be found at:www.etf-europe.org/BullyingAndHarassment.cfm

17

Published in 2016 by
International Chamber of Shipping
38 St Mary Axe
LondonEC3A 8BH

International Transport Workers’ Federation
49-60 Borough Road
LondonSE1 1DR

Telephone + 44 20 7090 1460
info@ics-shipping.org
www.ics-shipping.org

Telephone + 44 20 7403 2733
mail@itf.org.uk
www.itfglobal.org
18

The revised act requires employers to take measures to prevent power
harassment in the workplace, from April 1,2022 (Japan)
1. Language or behavior, delivered from a position of power, which
Power harassment in the workplace
2. exceeds the necessary and reasonable scope of work duties, and isis defined as acts that meetall of the three following criteria. 3. detrimental to the working environment of the worker

Typicalexample1

4

Physical assault

Excessive work demands

2

5

Mental assault

Insufﬁcient work demands

3

6

Separation ofhuman relationships

Invasion of privacy

Prepared based on “Harassment prevention in the workplace,” the Guidance Division,
Employment Environment and Equal Opportunity Department, Osaka Labor Bureau

19

The health effects of harassment
Post-traumatic stress symptoms

Depression, Psychological stress

HARASSMENT

Cardiovascular disease,
Physical symptoms, Pain

© Dept. Occupational Mental Health, Inst. Industrial Ecological Sciences, Univ. Occupational & Environmental Health, Japan

20

The health effects of harassment (at work)
Exhaustion, Resignation

Absenteeism, Leave of absence

HARASSMENT

Productivity decline© Dept. Occupational Mental Health, Inst. Industrial Ecological Sciences, Univ. Occupational & Environmental Health, Japan21

Establishment and operation of an effective harassment
consultation desk

Well then, where should the harassment consultation desk be locatedwithin the company and how should it be operated?
Here, we will explain how to set up and operate a consultation desk sothat when a contact person receives a harassment complaint, they can
respond appropriately while protecting the victim's privacy.
Not only people in charge of human resources at companies thatare actually setting up consultation desks, but also seafarers should
ask whether their company has a harassment consultation desk withthe following content and how to consult with them. Please check inadvance.
①Establishment of a consultation desk
１）Points to consider when setting up a desk
〇 There are two types of consultation desks: an internal consultation
desk and an external consultation desk.
〇 Victims may find it difficult to seek advice on board ships, so ensurethat they can directly contact the company's labor management
department or human resources department directly by email or cell
phone. It is important to first consider making it easy for seafarers to
ask questions and give them a sense of security.
〇 In cases where power harassment and other forms of harassment
are combined, it is necessary to set up an integrated point of contact
for consultation, rather than separate points of contact, in order to
respond quickly and appropriately.
〇 For small and medium-sized businesses, where it is difficult toestablish a system on their own, it may be possible to set up a
centralized consultation desk within the group of company concernedthat takes privacy into consideration.
22

＜Example of an internal consultation desk＞〇Respond by designating managers and employees as harassment
counselors.
〇 Human resources (maritime positions)/labor department〇 Compliance department, audit department, human rights (awareness)department, legal department〇 In-house medical service, industrial phsician, counselor* One option is to contact human resources, afer confirming his or
her intentions during the interview based on the results of the stresscheck conducted by the occupational health physician or publichealth nurse.
〇 Labor union＜Example of an external consultation desk＞〇 Offices of lawyers and labor and social security attorney〇 Anti-harassment consulting company〇 A company that provides mental health, health counseling,harassment counseling, etc.
〇 An external counselor
２）Selection of the person in charge of counseling at the counter〇 The role of the person in charge of the consultation may be limited toaccepting consultations (primary response), or the role may include
confirming other facts. If the person in charge is only responsible for
accepting consultations, it is also possible to create a system in which
the subsequent fact-finding investigation is handed over to the humanresources department, etc.
〇 When setting up a consultation desk within a company, the person
in charge must have sufficient response skills through prior training,
have a sufficient understanding of harassment and human rights
issues, receive advice from a neutral standpoint, and resolve the case.
We need people who can work toward this goal.
23

〇 A consultation desk may be simply set up as a formality, but it ismeaningless if it does not actually function when actual consultations
or requests are received. It is important for the person in charge ofthe consultation desk to understand his/her role as the person in
charge, as well as the process of responding and how to prepare forthe process (②“Consultation Process”).
〇 In addition, contact personnel must be fully aware that unfavorable
disciplinary action such as dismissal or demotion against complainant
who have consulted with the contact point or provided answers to thefacts is prohibited. It is also necessary to make every crew member
aware of this fact. This means that seafarers seeking advice can do soin peace.
② Consultation Process
For example, the flow from the consultation desk (first response) toprevent recurrence measures can be considered as follows.
１）Consultation reception and hearing (first response)２）Confirmation of the facts３）Consideration of measures to be taken against the alleged
perpetrator/victim
４）Follow-up of the alleged perpetrator/victim５）Consideration of measures to prevent recurrence
Please refer to the flow chart (of the Ministry of Health, Labor andWelfare) in Appendix (See to next page) for this process in detail.

24

25

③ Ideas for consulting with peace of mind
１）Seafarers (victims) who seek consultation about harassment arefilled with a range of emotions, including anxiety, fear, anger, andsuspicion, but they use the consultation service because they want
the person in charge to listen to their situation and their feelings first.
On the other hand, in many cases, the seafarer alleged perpetrator is
not aware that he or she has committed the harassment.
２）Therefore, the person in charge of the consultation desk must
respond to the victim seeking consultation (primary response),
confirm the facts, and carry out the necessary subsequent
procedures properly. It is necessary to organize the items and steps
well in advance.
３）Ideas to help the victim feel safe
Here are some points to help the person in charge respond quickly
and accurately to your initial consultation.
A）Protecting the privacy of the victim〇 When you receive a request for consultation from the victim, firstconsider the method of contact and the location of the meeting toprotect the confidentiality of the person.
Specifically, regarding the location of the consultation, if you are on
shore, try to maintain victim's privacy by using a conference room orother location outside of the office where other employees are present.
Additionally, if it is not possible to consult on board ship, arrangements
should be made for the person on board to report the problem directly
to the company's harassment consultation desk.
B）Prompt response to consultations〇 If a request for consultation is received on board ship, it isadvisable to respond promptly and, when actually responding to theconsultation, it is desirable to conduct a face-to-face interview so that26

the person seeking the consultation can feel comfortable and receive
a thorough explanation.
If it is not possible to conduct an interview on board ship, ensurethat the victim can make a complaint directly to the company's
harassment consultation desk and then confirm the place, date andtime of the consultation.
C）System for responding to consultations〇 Understand the victim's story thoroughly to avoid discrepancies later.
If possible, it is desirable to have several people respond, including aperson with the same sex as the victim.
D）Consultations (required actions before listening to specific stories)〇 First, inform the victim of the following:・Your privacy will be protected, so feel free to talk about anything you
want.
・Persons in charge have a duty of confidentiality.
・Your consultation will not be treated unfavorably.
〇 In addition, you will obatain the victim's consent to record what you
have heard from him/her on the record sheet.
E）Consultation (listening to specific stories)〇It is important to listen slowly and take your time to hear to what
the victim's person's saying, and not to rush the conversation (listen
carefully).
〇 The person in charge needs to be neutral and listen to the victims
person concerned without interfering.
〇 In order to accurately understand the content of the consultation, thefollowing points should be noted.
・Who is the alleged perpetrator?
・When, where and what was said (done)?
・At work or outside work?
・Previous words and actions (if any, number and frequency)?
27

・Is there anyone around the person who is aware of the situation?
・Is there anyone other than the person who has received similar
treatment?
・Reaction of colleagues
・Is there anyone else you have consulted with?
・What kind of response do you need as a victim?
F）Consultation (after hearing the content of the consultation)〇 After listening to a series of consultations, check with the victim
who consulted you to confirm that the content of the consultation iscorrect and to check the content of your notes, etc.
〇 In relation to this consultation, it is of most importance to ascertain
the victim's willingness to investigate the facts.
〇 If the victim wishes to investigate the facts, give them an idea of ​​what
the next steps will be and how long the investigation will take.
・In addition to the alleged perpetrator of the harassment, a third party
should also be investigated if the facts are not consistent.
・If, as a result of the investigation, it is determined that power
harassment has occurred, the human resources department will takemeasures such as personnel consideration for the complainant anddisciplinary action against the perpetrator.
・The results of fact-finding and disciplinary action will be
communicated to the victim(Except in cases where employment regulations provide thatthe company will not disclose the results of the investigation or
information obtained during the investigation process)・During the investigation, do not disclose to any third party the factthat an investigation is being conducted, and do not discuss thematter with the alleged perpetrator.
・If you are subjected to retaliation by the alleged perpetrator during
the course of the investigation, report it to the consultation desk.
〇 As a person in charge of the consultation service, you should28

be careful not to simply judge

whether the complaint applies

to the harassment simply by listening to what the victim says.
Similarly, you should not simply refuse to proceed if the complaint issensitive as to whether or not it constitutes harassment."〇 The content of the hearing will be organized and recorded on the
consultation record sheet for subsequent procedures.
〇 Here, the person responsible for the consultation desk shouldsummarize the key points for an appropriate response when receiving
a consultation.
１）Listening to the victims and verifying the facts２）Respect the human rights and privacy of those involved.
３）Do not make judgment based on preconceived ideas about thevictim or those involved.
４）Respect the wishes and intentions of victims
５）Ensure the physical and psychological safety and security of victims＜Reference＞〇 The basic steps and points to be followed by those responding toconsultations (primary response) are set out below.
Reference: “For harassment measures for foreign workers” Ministry of
Health, Labor and Welfare (2019)https://www.no-harassment.mhlw.go.jp/foreign_workers_en４）Procedures after interviewing victims〇 Next, we will describe the points that the personnel department
personnel should follow after interviewing the victim.
(ⅰ) Hearing from the alleged perpetrator〇 You will hear the facts of the case, including whether there was astrong reprimand.
〇 It is important to listen fully to the alleged perpetrator from a neutral
point of view, including the background and intentions behind the29instruction, his own situation, and the state of mind of which he isaccused.
〇 Finally, check that there are no mistakes in what he/she have heard.
〇 Inform the alleged perpetrator of future procedures, etc.
・If necessary, interview crew members from other departments on theship.
・Consult your internal human resources department (department incharge of harassment, internal committee that reviews harassment,etc.) regarding future actions.
・Possibility of being subject to review by internal committees, etc.
・During the investigation, it is forbidden to tell others about theinvestigation or discuss it with the victim.
(ⅱ) Hearing from parties other than the victim and the alleged
perpetrator〇 If necessary, we will also interview crew members from the samedepartment on board the ship, as well as crew members from otherdepartments who were present or witnessed the incident, regarding
the circumstances and background of the act.
〇 During the hearing, we will ask about the facts and opinions from theperspective of a third party, other than the person concerned, thevictim.
〇 If you conduct hearing with a third party, you will ensure them that
confidentiality is maintained so that the contents of the hearing are
not disclosed to others.
(ⅲ) Passing the contents of the hearing to the human resources
department, etc.
〇 After organizing and recording the information gathered from thevictim, the alleged perpetrator, and related parties in a consultation
record sheet, the information is handed over to the department incharge of the subsequent procedure.
30

(ⅳ) Consideration of measures to be taken against the victim/alleged
perpetrator by the department in charge of human resources, etc.
〇 In determining what action a company should take, it is necessary tohave a comprehensive view of the various factors below.
・Purpose of behavior
・Background and circumstances of words and actions
・Content of the work to be performed by the victim and the alleged
perpetrator
・Nature, frequency and continuity of the behavior
・seafarer’s position on board and physical and mental conditions
・Relationship between the victim and the alleged perpetrator
・The degree of physical or mental distress suffered by the seafarer as aresult of the behavior committed.
(ⅴ) Dealing with the victim and the alleged perpetrator〇 Depending on the judgment, you will take disciplinary action andprovide guidance to the alleged perpetrator based on the employment
regulations and harassment prevention-related provisions based on
the employment regulations.
〇 Victims will be provided with assistance to improve their relationshipwith the alleged perpetrator. In addition, you will reassign the victim
to separate him/her from the alleged perpetrator, transfer them toanother ship or change their shift rotation.
(ⅵ）Report to the victim〇 You will organize the confirmed facts and give the victim
details of the response by the Human Resources Department.
(However, this does not apply in cases where employment
regulations stipulate that the company will not disclose the resultsof the investigation or information obtained during the investigation
process.)〇 When communicating the details of the response, it is necessary to
31

do so promptly after the response and disciplinary policy has been
decided.

32

MLC - Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC, 2006)(Entry into force: 20 Aug 2013)

Regulation 5.1.5 – On-board complaint procedures
1. Each Member shall require that ships that fly its flag have on-board
procedures for the fair, effective and expeditious handling of seafarer
complaints alleging breaches of the requirements of this Convention(including seafarers’ rights).
2. Each Member shall prohibit and penalize any kind of victimization ofa seafarer for filing a complaint.
3. The provisions in this Regulation and related sections of the Codeare without prejudice to a seafarer’s right to seek redress throughwhatever legal means the seafarer considers appropriate.

Standard A5.1.5 – On-board complaint procedures
1. Without prejudice to any wider scope that may be given in nationallaws or regulations or collective agreements, the on-board procedures
may be used by seafarers to lodge complaints relating to any matterthat is alleged to constitute a breach of the requirements of thisConvention (including seafarers’ rights).
2. Each Member shall ensure that, in its laws or regulations, appropriate
on board complaint procedures are in place to meet the requirementsof Regulation 5.1.5. Such procedures shall seek to resolve complaints
at the lowest level possible. However, in all cases, seafarers shall havea right to complain directly to the master and, where they consider it
necessary, to appropriate external authorities.
3. The on-board complaint procedures shall include the right of theseafarer to be accompanied or represented during the complaints
procedure, as well as safeguards against the possibility of victimizationof seafarers for filing complaints. The term “victimization” covers
any adverse action taken by any person with respect to a seafarer for
lodging a complaint which is not manifestly vexatious or maliciously
33made.
4. In addition to a copy of their seafarers’ employment agreement, allseafarers shall be provided with a copy of the on-board complaint
procedures applicable on the ship. This shall include contact
information for the competent authority in the flag State and, where
different, in the seafarers’ country of residence, and the name ofa person or persons on board the ship who can, on a confidential
basis, provide seafarers with impartial advice on their complaint andotherwise assist them in following the complaint procedures available
to them on board the ship.

Guideline B5.1.5 – On-board complaint procedures
1. Subject to any relevant provisions of an applicable collective
agreement, the competent authority should, in close consultation
with shipowners’ and seafarers’ organizations, develop a model for
fair, expeditious and well-documented on-board complaint-handlingprocedures for all ships that fly the Member’s flag. In developing
these procedures the following matters should be considered:((a) many complaints may relate specifically to those individuals towhom the complaint is to be made or even to the master of theship. In all cases seafarers should also be able to complain directly
to the master and to make a complaint externally; and(b) in order to help avoid problems of victimization of seafarers making
complaints about matters under this Convention, the proceduresshould encourage the nomination of a person on board who
can advise seafarers on the procedures available to them and, if
requested by the complainant seafarer, also attend any meetings orhearings into the subject matter of the complaint.
2. At a minimum the procedures discussed during the consultative
process referred to in paragraph 1 of this Guideline should include
the following:(a) complaints should be addressed to the head of the department of34

the seafarer lodging the complaint or to the seafarer’s superior
officer;(b) the head of department or superior officer should then attempt toresolve the matter within prescribed time limits appropriate to theseriousness of the issues involved;(c) if the head of department or superior officer cannot resolve thecomplaint to the satisfaction of the seafarer, the latter may refer itto the master, who should handle the matter personally;(d) seafarers should at all times have the right to be accompanied andto be represented by another seafarer of their choice on board theship concerned;(e) all complaints and the decisions on them should be recorded and a
copy provided to the seafarer concerned;(f) if a complaint cannot be resolved on board, the matter should
be referred ashore to the shipowner, who should be given an
appropriate time limit for resolving the matter, where appropriate,
in consultation with the seafarers concerned or any person they
may appoint as their representative; and(g) in all cases seafarers should have a right to file their complaints
directly with the master and the shipowner and competentauthorities.

Regulation 5.2.1 – Inspections in port
1. Every foreign ship calling, in the normal course of its business orfor operational reasons, in the port of a Member may be the subjectof inspection in accordance with paragraph 4 of Article V for the
purpose of reviewing compliance with the requirements of thisConvention (including seafarers’ rights) relating to the working andliving conditions of seafarers on the ship.
2. Each Member shall accept the maritime labour certificate and thedeclaration of maritime labour compliance required under Regulation
5.1.3 as prima facie evidence of compliance with the requirements
35

of this Convention (including seafarers’ rights). Accordingly, theinspection in its ports shall, except in the circumstances specified in
the Code, be limited to a review of the certificate and declaration.
3. Inspections in a port shall be carried out by authorized officers inaccordance with the provisions of the Code and other applicableinternational arrangements governing port State control inspectionsin the Member. Any such inspection shall be limited to verifying thatthe matter inspected is in conformity with the relevant requirements
set out in the Articles and Regulations of this Convention and in Part
A only of the Code.
4. Inspections that may be carried out in accordance with this Regulation
shall be based on an effective port State inspection and monitoring
system to help ensure that the working and living conditions for
seafarers on ships entering a port of the Member concerned meet therequirements of this Convention (including seafarers’ rights).
5. Information about the system referred to in paragraph 4 of thisRegulation, including the method used for assessing its effectiveness,shall be included in the Member’s reports pursuant to article 22 of
the Constitution.

Standard A5.2.1 – Inspections in port
1. Where an authorized officer, having come on board to carry out aninspection and requested, where applicable, the maritime labour
certificate and the declaration of maritime labour compliance, finds
that:(a) the required documents are not produced or maintained or are
falsely maintained or that the documents produced do not containthe information required by this Convention or are otherwise
invalid; or(b) there are clear grounds for believing that the working and living
conditions on the ship do not conform to the requirements of thisConvention; or36

(c) there are reasonable grounds to believe that the ship has changed
flag for the purpose of avoiding compliance with this Convention;or(d) there is a complaint alleging that specific working and living
conditions on the ship do not conform to the requirements of thisConvention;a more detailed inspection may be carried out to ascertain theworking and living conditions on board the ship. Such inspection
shall in any case be carried out where the working and living
conditions believed or alleged to be defective could constitute a
clear hazard to the safety, health or security of seafarers or where
the authorized officer has grounds to believe that any deficiencies
constitute a serious breach of the requirements of this Convention(including seafarers’ rights).
2. Where a more detailed inspection is carried out on a foreign ship in
the port of a Member by authorized officers in the circumstances set
out in subparagraph (a), (b) or (c) of paragraph 1 of this Standard, it
shall in principle cover the matters listed in Appendix A5-III.
3. In the case of a complaint under paragraph 1(d) of this Standard, theinspection shall generally be limited to matters within the scope ofthe complaint, although a complaint, or its investigation, may provide
clear grounds for a detailed inspection in accordance with paragraph1(b) of this Standard. For the purpose of paragraph 1(d) of thisStandard, “complaint” means information submitted by a seafarer,a professional body, an association, a trade union or, generally, any
person with an interest in the safety of the ship, including an interestin safety or health hazards to seafarers on board.
4. Where, following a more detailed inspection, the working and living
conditions on the ship are found not to conform to the requirementsof this Convention, the authorized officer shall forthwith bring the
deficiencies to the attention of the master of the ship, with required
deadlines for their rectification. In the event that such deficiencies
37

are considered by the authorized officer to be significant, or if they
relate to a complaint made in accordance with paragraph 3 of thisStandard, the authorized officer shall bring the deficiencies to theattention of the appropriate seafarers’ and shipowners’ organizationsin the Member in which the inspection is carried out, and may:(a) notify a representative of the flag State;(b) provide the competent authorities of the next port of call with therelevant information.
5. The Member in which the inspection is carried out shall havethe right to transmit a copy of the officer’s report, which must be
accompanied by any reply received from the competent authoritiesof the flag State within the prescribed deadline, to the DirectorGeneral of the International Labour Office with a view to such action
as may be considered appropriate and expedient in order to ensurethat a record is kept of such information and that it is brought to theattention of parties which might be interested in availing themselvesof relevant recourse procedures.
6. Where, following a more detailed inspection by an authorized
officer, the ship is found not to conform to the requirements of thisConvention and:(a) the conditions on board are clearly hazardous to the safety, healthor security of seafarers; or(b) the non-conformity constitutes a serious or repeated breach of therequirements of this Convention (including seafarers’ rights);
the authorized officer shall take steps to ensure that the ship shall notproceed to sea until any non-conformities that fall within the scope of
subparagraph (a) or (b) of this paragraph have been rectified, or until
the authorized officer has accepted a plan of action to rectify suchnon-conformities and is satisfied that the plan will be implemented
in an expeditious manner. If the ship is prevented from sailing, theauthorized officer shall forthwith notify the flag State accordingly
and invite a representative of the flag State to be present, if possible,
38requesting the flag State to reply within a prescribed deadline.
The authorized officer shall also inform forthwith the appropriate
shipowners’ and seafarers’ organizations in the port State in which
the inspection was carried out.
7. Each Member shall ensure that its authorized officers are given
guidance, of the kind indicated in Part B of the Code, as to the kindsof circumstances justifying detention of a ship under paragraph 6 ofthis Standard.
8. When implementing their responsibilities under this Standard, each
Member shall make all possible efforts to avoid a ship being unduly
detained or delayed. If a ship is found to be unduly detained ordelayed, compensation shall be paid for any loss or damage suffered.
The burden of proof in each case shall be on the complainant.

Guideline B5.2.1 – Inspections in port
1. The competent authority should develop an inspection policy for
authorized officers carrying out inspections under Regulation 5.2.1.
The objective of the policy should be to ensure consistency and tootherwise guide inspection and enforcement activities related to therequirements of this Convention (including seafarers’ rights). Copiesof this policy should be provided to all authorized officers and should
be available to the public and shipowners and seafarers.
2. When developing a policy relating to the circumstances warranting
a detention of the ship under Standard A5.2.1, paragraph 6, of
the competent authority should consider that, with respect tothe breaches referred to in Standard A5.2.1, paragraph 6(b), theseriousness could be due to the nature of the deficiency concerned.
This would be particularly relevant in the case of the violation of
fundamental rights and principles or seafarers’ employment andsocial rights under Articles III and IV. For example, the employmentof a person who is under age should be considered as a serious
breach even if there is only one such person on board. In other cases,
39

the number of different defects found during a particular inspection
should be taken into account: for example, several instances ofdefects relating to accommodation or food and catering which do
not threaten safety or health might be needed before they should beconsidered as constituting a serious breach.
3. Members should cooperate with each other to the maximum extent
possible in the adoption of internationally agreed guidelines on
inspection policies, especially those relating to the circumstances
warranting the detention of a ship.

40

Chapter 5 caption (re-post) on "4R"
(1) Realization:
As a basic knowledge of trauma, understand that there is a hypersensitive
reaction after a trauma experience.
For example, in the case of maritime labor, it is a post-experience
hypersensitive reaction (flashback, hyperventilation, etc.) to a loud
reprimand from a manager, and reactions vary according to each
person.
(2) Recognize:
As mentioned above, trauma victims may have intense avoidance
reactions such as "closing their eyes" and "shutting themselves in theirrooms" to avoid the slightest talk, laughter, or reprimand from theirsurroundings due to anxiety or fear, and may appear strange to theirsurroundings.
This can be seen as strange by those around them. The surrounding
people should be aware of such reactions of the victim. It is also necessary
to understand that everyone has some traumatic experiences.
(3) Responds:
A way of getting involved the victim based on the understanding thateach person has a different type of experience.
For example, victims of bullying, discrimination, etc. generally stigmatize
themselves, and hearing the experience again by those around them in awell-meaning way may lead to intense reactions of the victim.
Therefore, it is important to allow some time after the bullying or
harassment experience for the victim to feel comfortable having theconversation."41

(4) Resist Re-Traumatization:
The reactions in (1) and (2) above will diminish the victim's relationshipwith the surroundings, which may lead to the occurrence of secondary
damage from the harassment. In maritime labor, managers need tostrictly reprimand young seafarers for their hazardous behavior.
It is necessary for the victim and the manager to have a firm discussion
after some time, for example (see (3) above). Leaving the seafarer who
shuts down his/her mind alone after the incident may only increase his/her anxiety.

Reference:
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration,
Department of Health & Human Services, USA,SAMHSA's Concept of Trauma and Guidance for a Trauma-Informed Approach,
2014

42

Four Anxiety

caused by low psychological safety
Anxiety
seems to be ignorantAnxietyconsidered incompetent

Don't ask questions
about things you don't understandConcealincompetence or mistakes

Anxiety
seems to be interfering

Anxietyconsidered negative

Speak less

Become a passive discussion

Reference: Irie Masahiro, Industrial Health Counselor, Members of Fukuoka Occupational Health support Center,
Power harassment prevention measures based on psychological safety, p.10.

43

Example Company Policy on Harassment and Bullying
Company x will treat all complaints of harassment and bullying seriously and in strict confidence.
Your senior officer on board and personnel manager ashore have been trained in dealing with complaints ofharassment and bullying. You may approach either or both to report any incident you have suffered.
The company considers any complaint of cyber bullying to be a serious issue.
If you do not feel comfortable raising a complaint yourself, you may ask a friend or colleague to do so on your behalf.
You will not be penalised by the company for making a complaint, provided it is not vexatious or made maliciously.
Remember, it is the victim’s perception of any actions that counts. If YOU feel you have suffered harassment or bullying,
the company will look into the issue raised.
Company Name:
Contacts:
Reference: International Chamber of Shipping, International Transport Workers’ Federation. (2016)
GUIDANCE ON ELIMINATING SHIPBOARD HARASSMENT AND BULLYING, p.14 Appendices Appendix 1.

44

Suggested text of leaflet for seafarers
Obligations and responsibilities of seafarers

No seafarers should be harassed or bullied on board ships. All seafarers have a responsibility for ensuring that their ship
is free of harassment and bullying. Your company takes harassment and bullying very seriously.

Do you harass or bully other seafarers?

Harassment includes any act which creates feelings of unease, humiliation, embarrassment, intimidation, or discomfort
to the person on the receiving end.
Bullying may include any negative or hostile behaviour that makes a recipient feel intimidated. You may be unaware of
the effect of your own actions on other seafarers and may need to modify your approach. Possible examples include:

•
•
•
•
•
•

Do you consider that your way of doing a job is always right?
Do you raise your voice at others?
Are you sarcastic or patronising to others?
Do you criticise individuals in front of others?
Do you criticise minor non-safety critical errors and fail to give credit for good work?
Do you shun any others or spread rumours or malicious gossip?

If you are concerned that aspects of your behaviour could be considered harassment or bullying, your company can help you
to eradicate these aspects. However, you should approach your line manager and seek assistance – don’t wait until a complaint
is made against you!

Reference: International Chamber of Shipping, International Transport Workers’ Federation. (2016)
GUIDANCE ON ELIMINATING SHIPBOARD HARASSMENT AND BULLYING, p.14 Appendices Appendix 2.

45

Building human relationships and trust through onboard
communication① The importance of making manager aware of harassment
as early as possible〇 Do your words and actions escalate because of your anger?
For managers, the way their crew members react to them and the
difficulty in communicating with them can be a source of concern.
For example, we hear the following voices from the field.
・Crew member does not follow my work procedures・I am worried whether the crew member really understands myinstructions.
・I delegated the work because the crew member said, “I can do it,” but
you I couldn't do it.
・I don't really know whether the crew member is listening to my
instructions and guidance.
〇 However, if you start yelling at your fellow seafarers or ignoring
what they say because they don't listen even after a long periodof guidance or because you don't know if they understand,this goes beyond the scope of proper guidance. Thing.
What's more, if you let your emotions dictate your words and actions
in a way that criticizes crew member's character, this is more likely tofall under harassment.
<Key points regarding the behavior of the manager>
１) Basic attitude to reprimand and guidance・Reprimand and provide guidance on his/her behavior that is causing46

the problem, not on themselves.
・Do not reprimand the crew member himself (“reprimand the behavior”)
２）Tips to avoid acting out in anger
・“Do not shout” “(take a breath) and calm down”
・Make a sign saying “I will never shout” and post it in your room
・Put yourself in the other person's shoes and consider how they would
feel before you act.
３）Listen to different opinions first・Even if you are confident that you know most about the work andprocedures in your department, your crew members will have theirown ways of thinking. Instead of dismissing or ignoring the otherperson's ideas, first listen to the other person's opinions and thoughts(“listen carefully”).
・Then, if there is a difference of opinion about work procedures, forexample, the manager should objectively compare which procedures
have the greatest advantages and which have the least disadvantages
in terms of safety, work efficiency, etc., and then the manager canconvince the crew member. You have to explain it in a way thatmakes sense.
４）Alerting from people around you in the onboard workplace・“Is Mr. A’s guidance becoming like harassment?”
If you see a reprimand or behavior that you think is outside the scopeof legitimate guidance, you should alert them as soon as possible,
even if they are outside your department, and if it is difficult to do so
on board ship, it is very important to contact the human resources
department at the head office for advice to nip the problem in thebud before it develops into a harassment incident.
〇 Of course, within the proper scope of work, passionate education,
47

guidance and reprimands are necessary.

② The importance of conversations from a seafarer who is acrew member.
Of course, harassment cannot be prevented by focusing only on
the manager's guidance and conversational style. Harassment iscaused by factors such as the attitude of the crew member being
coached, the appropriateness of the crew member's response to the
manager's guidance, their aggressiveness in their work, and the lackof communication from the crew member to the manager.
〇 So, what are the current issues being raised about the recent quality
and mental health conditions, particularly among new seafarers?
・Perhaps because of the increasing number of people who have neverbeen scolded at home, some of them feel that they have been scoldedand quit when they receive guidance on safety issues.
・They are unable to keep up with technology and know-how during
the company's education and development process, and tend toperceive the guidance of those around them as harassment, leadingthem to give up on continuing to work.
・I am concerned that many people lack the awareness, initiative, andsense of self to carry out their own work as members of society.
・The number of students who are not good at communication (reporting,communicating, consulting) is increasing.
〇 On the other hand, the following keywords are required as the qualities
and mental aspects that the company looks for in new seafarers.
・Manners for working adults, etc.
・Communication skills
・Teamwork skills
48

・Awareness as a seafarer・Stress tolerance (interpersonal/boarding period)・Adaptability and energy for life on board
・Adaptability to group life and society③ Importance of daily communication
So, let's think about the importance of communication for young
people in daily work and life on board.
〇 Working at sea
A ship cannot be navigated by one crew member alone. The trustand cooperation of colleagues is essential. Only through goodcommunication, including mutual understanding and encouragement,
can a safe voyage be achieved.
In addition, in order to navigate safely, we must maintain a sense ofcomposure and always remember to strive to acquire the knowledge
and skills on a daily basis to deal with any situation.
Your manager may give you strict guidance regarding mistakes or
unsafe behavior. When someone scolds you in a harsh tone, you may
think it is harassment.
But try to remember the situation in which you were scolded. Haveyou ever worked without understanding your manager's instructions?
Or have you ever missed the movements of other ships while on
duty?
Can we recognize strict instructions to ensure the safety of human
life, ships and cargoes as harassment?
〇 Acquire reliable techniques and knowledge
I often hear that the more experienced you are, the more cautious
you become.
49

This is because our extensive experience has given us the skills andknowledge to anticipate danger.
Furthermore, safe sailing requires not only to have basic skills andknowledge, but also the ability to apply them to various conditions.
To achieve this, it is necessary to communicate with your manager
and seniors on a daily basis and build relationships of trust.
<Specific example>
・If you feel the least bit uncomfortable during the voyage, report it toyour manager.
・Ask your seniors about their experiences and practice and do
imagery rehearsal to prepare emergency situations regularly so you
can feel comfortable.
・Do not leave any problems or questions unattended, and share themwith the captain and other people around you.
・Be prepared to have daily conversations and build relationships
so that if you have any work-related questions, you can ask them
immediately.

④ Building relationships of trust through daily communication
As mentioned above, if both the manager and the crew members
can proactively engage in conversation and respond to eachother's thoughts and questions one by one, they can naturally build
interpersonal relationships and trust. Even if your manager gives you aharsh reprimand at work or during life on board, your concerns about
emotional stress and harassment will be alleviated, and you will beable to work with peace of mind.
Of course, the job description isn't the only conversation starter.
By starting the conversation with things like life on board and small
talk, you will be able to understand each other's humanity andpersonalities.
50

⑤ Awareness gained through the collaborative work ofmanagers as instructors〇 Managers with long experience in their respective roles may have
many concerns about the development of crew members.
The following are some of the comments on staff training expressedby expert engineers.
“It is premature to think that OJT will save time and money spent on
training beginners, and you may not expect great results.
Ultimately, when you welcome the newcomers in your workplace, it isbest to arrange the environment in which they can grow, considering theprocess of their growing as the expert, and conditions for establishing
their own learning. Those lead to the “royal road” to success.”“If OJT is carried out in an uncontrolled manner, it may lead to early
retirement of new employees due to isolation caused by harassment andpsychological abuse.”“When a new engineer replaces bearings in an electric motor for the firsttime, he learns how to deal with the tasks of taking off the pump fromelectric motor, using a gear puller, selecting the right bearing, mounting
bearings on the shaft, and aligning the coupling between the pumpand electric motor. A series of tasks, such as methods, are learned byworking together with an expert, rather than being taught by an expert.
By taking part in larger tasks, such as removing pistons, these newengineers will eventually become the main person responsible for thework and take charge.”“Learning takes place when the learner “wants to be able to do things”
and “to be able to do things”. The instructor's job is to create a learning
environment in which the learners can solve and acquire the tasks they51

need to accomplish on their own, and to develop themselves by coworking with the learners in the learning environment. It is not a matterof treating the learner as a blank canvas and teaching knowledge likethe layers of paint.”〇 I believe that the best way to provide this kind of guidance is to allow
the crew member to improve their behavior on their own initiative.

⑥ The need for training and other initiatives for internal
communication, etc.
〇 Business owners should proactively create opportunities for seafarers
to attend internal and external training sessions aimed at improving
stimulating communication between managers and crew members
and facilitating smoother conversations, before or after boarding theship.

⑦ Awareness towards eradicating harassment includingharassment and bullying〇 So far, we have explained the importance of communication between
managers and crew members, with a focus on harassment.
〇 In addition, in order to prevent acts of harassment other thanharassment and bullying, it is important to recognize that each
person working in the workplace is responsible for their work, is avaluable human resource for the company, and is an individual witha personality that should be respected. It is important to be aware ofeach other.

52

Summary of Survey Results on Bullying Harassment onboard
The target of the survey①Each shipping company's measures for preventing
harassment of seafarers.
・The presence of a harassment consultation desk andhow cases are handled.
・Efforts for preventing recurrence, etc.
②The following matters concerning seafarers.
・Experience of harassment onboard and its details,
if any.
・Steps to take in case of experiencing harassment.
・Causes and factors of harassment

53Summary of Survey Results on Bullying Harassment onboard
Survey Results(Part 1-1) (Responses from Shipping Companies)(1) In the past three years, has your company had any cases where harassment, bullying, or other forms of harassment ofseafarers were suspected through consultations, reports, complaints, etc. from seafarers employed or managed by yourcompany? Please select the applicable item.
Number of respondents: 23 companies③,
3 companies,(13%)①,
9 companies,
(39%)

①Yes
②No
③Not sure②,
11 companies,
(48%)

54

Summary of Survey Results on Bullying Harassment onboard
Survey Results(Part 1-2) (Responses from seafarers)(2) In the past three years, have you experienced any remarks or actions from other seafarers or superiors that caused you
mental or physical burden, distress, or had an impact on your psychological or physical well-being?
Number of respondents: 680 individuals③,
34 individuals,①,(5.0%)
89 individuals,(13.1%)① Yes② No③ Not sure②,
557 individuals,(81.9%)
55

Summary of Survey Results on Bullying Harassment onboard
Survey Results(Part1-3)(Responses from Shipping Companies)(3) For those who selected "① Yes" in question (1), please indicate the job position(s) of the seafarers who engaged inharassment or bullying.
Please select all applicable options. If multiple seafarers are involved, please select all corresponding options.

Number of respondents: 9 companies

5 companies,(55.6%)① Captain

4 companies,(44.4%)② Chief Officer③ Second Officer

1 companies,(11.1%)④ Third Officer

1 companies,(11.1%)
4 companies,(44.4%)⑤ Chief Engineer

3 companies,(33.3%)⑥ First Engineer⑦ Second Engineer

1 companies,(11.1%)⑧ Third Engineer

1 companies,(11.1%)⑨ Purser0 companies,(0%)⑩ Clerk

0 companies,(0%)
1 companies,(11.1%)⑪ Bosun⑫ Deck Crew (Able Seaman,
Ordinary Seaman, etc.)⑬ Helmsman⑭ Engine Crew (Engine Cadet,Engine Rating)⑮ Chief Cook
⑯ Galley Staff (Cook, Galley
Hand)⑰ Chief Radio Officer

1 companies,(11.1%)
0 companies,(0%)
1 companies,(11.1%)
1 companies,(11.1%)
0 companies,(0%)
0 companies,(0%)⑱ Radio Officer

0 companies,(0%)⑲ Other

0 companies,(0%)
0

1

2

56

3

4

5

6

Summary of Survey Results on Bullying Harassment onboard
Survey Results(Part 1‐4)(Responses from seafarers)(4) For those who selected "① Yes" in question (2), please select the position(s) of the other seafarers or superiors who
exhibited such behavior onboard.If multiple positions apply, please select all that apply.
Number of respondents: 117 individuals

27 individuals,(23.1%)① Captain

18 individuals,(15.4%)② Chief Officer

1 individuals,(0.9%)③ Second Officer

3 individuals,(2.6%)④ Third Officer

22 individuals,(18.8%)⑤ Chief Engineer

9 individuals,(7.7%)⑥ First Engineer

1 individuals,(0.9%)⑦ Second Engineer

3 individuals,(2.6%)⑧ Third Engineer

1 individuals,(0.9%)⑨ Purser

0 individuals,(0.0%)⑩ Clerk

5 individuals,(4.3%)⑪ Bosun

4 individuals,(3.4%)⑫ Deck Crew (Able Seaman, Ordinary Seaman, etc.)

2 individuals,(1.7%)⑬ Helmsman

5 individuals,(4.3%)⑭ Engine Crew (Engine Cadet, Engine Rating)

3 individuals,(2.6%)⑮ Chief Cook

11 individuals,(9.4%)⑯ Galley Staff (Cook, Galley Hand)

2 individuals,(1.7%)⑰ Chief Radio Officer

0 individuals,(0.0%)⑱ Radio Officer

40 individuals,(34.2%)⑲ Other
0

5

10

57

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Summary of Survey Results on Bullying Harassment onboard
Survey Results(Part 1‐5)(Responses from Shipping Companies)(5) For those who selected "① Yes" in question (1), please indicate the job positions of the seafarers who were victims ofharassment or bullying. Please select all applicable options. If multiple seafarers are involved, please select all
corresponding options.

Number of respondents: 8 companies

0 companies,(0%)① Captain

1 companies,(12.5%)② Chief Officer

3 companies,(37.5%)③ Second Officer

4 companies,(50.0%)④ Third Officer

1 companies,(12.5%)⑤ Chief Engineer

0 companies,(0%)⑥ First Engineer

1 companies,(12.5%)⑦ Second Engineer

2 companies,(25.0%)⑧ Third Engineer⑨ Purser1 companies,(12.5%)⑩ Clerk

1 companies,(12.5%)⑪ Bosun⑫ Deck Crew (Able Seaman,
Ordinary Seaman, etc.)⑬ Helmsman⑭ Engine Crew (Engine Cadet,Engine Rating)⑮ Chief Cook
⑯ Galley Staff (Cook, Galley
Hand)⑰ Chief Radio Officer

1 companies,(12.5%)
5 companies,(62.5%)
1 companies,(12.5%)
5 companies,(62.5%)
1 companies,(12.5%)
2 companies,(25.0%)
0 companies,(0%)⑱ Radio Officer

1 companies,(12.5%)⑲ Other

1 companies,(12.5%)
0

1

2

58

3

4

5

6

Summary of Survey Results on Bullying Harassment onboard
Survey Results(Part 1‐6)(Responses from seafarers)(6) In the past three years, while on board, have you been subjected to comments or actions by other seafarers or yoursuperiors that have caused you mental or physical strain or distress, or affected your psychological or physical health?
Occupations of those who selected ‘① Yes' for the question in(2)Number of respondents: 89 individuals
3 individuals,(3.4%)① Captain

8 individuals,(9.0%)② Chief Officer

5 individuals,(5.6%)③ Second Officer

8 individuals,(9.0%)④ Third Officer

3 individuals,(3.4%)⑤ Chief Engineer

8 individuals,(9.0%)⑥ First Engineer

4 individuals,(4.5%)⑦ Second Engineer

5 individuals,(5.6%)⑧ Third Engineer

0 individuals,(0%)⑨ Purser⑩ Clerk

1 individuals,(1.1%)⑪ Bosun

1 individuals,(1.1%)
6 individuals,(6.7%)⑫ Deck Crew (Able Seaman, Ordinary Seaman, etc.)

2 individuals,(2.2%)⑬ Helmsman⑭ Engine Crew (Engine Cadet, Engine Rating)

3 individuals,(3.4%)⑮ Chief Cook

3 individuals,(3.4%)
10 individuals,(11.2%)⑯ Galley Staff (Cook, Galley Hand)⑰ Chief Radio Officer

0 individuals,(1.7%)⑱ Radio Officer

0 individuals,(0.0%)

23 individuals,(25.8%)⑲ Other
0

5

59

10

15

20

25

Summary of Survey Results on Bullying Harassment onboard
Survey Results(Part 2‐1)(Responses from Shipping Companies)(7) For those who selected "① Yes" in question (1), please specify the nature of the reports or complaints filed byseafarers. Please select all applicable options.
Number of respondents: 9 companies
If multiple incidents apply, please select all corresponding options.
7companies,(77.8%)① Physical attacks(hitting, kicking, throwing objects at others, etc.)② Psychological attacks (denying one’s personality,
prolonged scolding related to work, intimidated scolding infront of other seafarers, etc.)

8companies,(88.9%)③ Isolation from relationships(isolation, exclusion, ignoring, etc.)

1companies,(11.1%)④ Excessive demands (assigning tasks to junior seafarers that are beyond
their capabilities, severe scolding for failing tasks, assigning non-work-related
personal chores, etc.)

4companies,(44.4%)⑤ Insufficient demands (assigning tasks that are far
below the recipient's qualifications, not giving work as
harassment, etc.)

1companies,(11.1%)⑥ Invasion of personal boundaries(excessive interference into personal matters)

0companies,(0%)⑦ Sexual conversations, inappropriate workplaceenvironment, physical contact, sexual harassment onboard, etc.

0companies,(0%)⑧ Harassment related to pregnancy or childbirthof female seafarers

0companies,(0%)⑨ Harassment related to leave of seafarers whoare parents and for child-rearing

0companies,(0%)⑩ Other

0companies,
(0%)
0

1

60

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Summary of Survey Results on Bullying Harassment onboard
Survey Results(Part 2‐2)(Responses from seafarers)(8) For those who selected "① Yes" in question (2), please specify the types of remarks or actions you experienced. If applica
If none of the options apply or if it is unclear whether they apply, you may skip the question.
Number of respondents: 97 individuals① Physical attacks(being hit, kicked, having objects thrown at you, etc.)

4individuals,(4.1%)② Psychological attacks(being told remarks that deny your personality, being severely scolded for a long timeabout your work, being scolded loudly and intimidatingly in front of other seafarers, etc.)

61individuals,(62.9%)③ Social isolation(being left out or ignored by other seafarers, being instructed not totalk to you by other seafarers, etc.)

17individuals,(17.5%)④ Excessive demands(being assigned tasks that are impossible to achieve with yourabilities, being severely scolded for not being able to achieve those tasks, being forced to
do private chores unrelated to your work, etc.)

29individuals,(29.9%)⑤ Insufficient demands(being assigned tasks that anyone can do regardless of your abilities,
being unable to get work assigned due to harassment, etc.)⑥ Personal intrusion(being asked excessively intrusive questions about your private
matters outside of work, etc.)

12individuals,(12.4%)
10individuals,(10.3%)⑦ Sexual conversations, workplace environment, physical contact,or sexual harassment on board

1individuals,(1.0%)⑧ Harassment related to pregnancy and childbirth of female seafarers

1individuals,(1.0%)⑨ Harassment related to the leave of seafarer who are parents forchild-rearing

0individuals,(0.0%)⑩ Other

17individuals,(17.5%)
0

61

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Summary of Survey Results on Bullying Harassment onboard
Survey Results(Part 2‐2)(Additional comments from seafarers)(9) For those who selected "① Yes" in question (2), Please briefly describe the nature of those
remarks or actions, within reasonable limits in the space below.
・boss around, pressured, bullied ・Be racially discriminated against, long time work without a break.
・Mainly verbal abuse or public humiliation ・Always yelling and always finding mistakes. ・Shouting and cursing
・Bullying and scolded in front of many individuals ・over power use
・Too much expectation that leads to overwhelming stress onboard
・a C/O bullied me daily because of my nationality
・My 1st Engineer have been giving me remarks that implied I am not competent enough. He have been picking on
me every time.
・Psychological burden of being completely ignored by seniors while discussing any major issues and noappreciation for the work.
・Superior in office noted to frequently demean / demoralize seafarers onboard instead of being part of the onboard
team, encouraging the team & helping the team.
・Some senior officer told me your slow and incompetent. The fact that they only got angry at you because they
make it personal because you don't involve in their drinking session.

62

Summary of Survey Results on Bullying Harassment onboard
Survey Results(Part 2‐2)(Additional comments from seafarers)(continued)(9) For those who selected "① Yes" in question (2), Please briefly describe the nature of those
remarks or actions, within reasonable limits in the space below.
・Office pressing to do some jobs, which cannot be done. Too many papers for a single person. Increasing volumeof paper-work from office and other companies. Crew change department not planning properly crew change intime.
・Chief Eng shouting and swearing at the crew members for a simple reasons. When unexpected problems appear
instead of giving advice he was throwing spanners due to the lack of ideas how to cope with situation

63

Summary of Survey Results on Bullying Harassment onboard
Survey Results(Part 3‐1)(Responses from Shipping Companies)(10) For those who selected "① Yes" in question (1), please select the relevant factors related to harassment and bullying
incidents at your company.
Please select all applicable options. If multiple causes apply, please select all corresponding options.

Number of respondents: 9 companies
9companies,(100%)① Related to job tasks
2companies,(22.2%)② Related to shipboard life

6companies,(66.7%)③ Related to job guidance④ Related to shipboard life
guidance

0companies,(0%)⑤ Related to interpersonal
relationships on board

3companies,
33.3 %)⑥ Related to communication
among seafarers

4companies,(44.4%)⑦ Related to cultural backgrounds,
lifestyles, or work attitudes based on
the different nationalities of seafarers

1companies,(11.1%)
0companies,(0%)⑧ Other
0

1

2

3

64

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Summary of Survey Results on Bullying Harassment onboard
Survey Results(Part 3‐2)(Responses from seafarers)(11)For those who selected "① Yes" in question (2), what do you believe to be the causes or factors of your experience?
Please select all that apply.
If multiple options apply, please select all that apply.
Number of respondents: 107 individuals① Related to job duties(e.g., excessive workload, tasks were highly complex)

46individuals,(43.0%)② Related to shipboard life
(e.g., unfamiliarity with shipboard rules)

15individuals,(14.0%)③ Related to job guidance(e.g., superiors were unable to provide accurate guidance)(e.g., inadequate understanding of superiors' guidance)

21individuals,(19.6%)④ Related to guidance on shipboard life
(e.g., unable to follow superiors' guidance)(e.g., inadequate understanding of superiors' guidance)

8individuals,(7.5%)
25individuals,(23.4%)⑤ Related to shipboard interpersonal relationships⑥ Related to communication among seafarers(e.g., unable to engage in daily conversations with superiors)

18individuals,(16.8%)⑦ Related to cultural backgrounds, lifestyle habits, work
attitudes, etc. based on the seafarers' nationality

36individuals,(33.6%)
11individuals,(10.3%)⑧ Other
0

5

65

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Summary of Survey Results on Bullying Harassment onboard
Survey Results(Part 4‐1)(Responses from Shipping Companies)(12) For those who selected "① Yes" in question (1), what kind of impact did the harassment or bullying incidents haveon work tasks and internal relationships?
Please select all applicable options. If multiple impacts apply, please select all corresponding options.
5companies,(55.6%)① Led to the resignation or leave of theseafarers who experienced the harassment

Number of respondents: 9 companies

1companies,② Led to the resignation or leave of otherseafarers besides the victims(11.1%)

9companies,③ Deteriorated the atmosphere andinterpersonal relationships on board(100%)④ Decreased motivation for seafarers in theirwork

7companies,⑤ Impaired the ability of seafarers to performtheir tasks adequately

7companies,⑥ Created problems with work efficiency andsafety assurance

7companies,(77.8%)(77.8%)(77.8%)

4companies,⑦ Caused difficulties in assigning seafarers tovessels (manpower composition)(44.4%)

0companies,⑧ Created obstacles in recruiting new
seafarers(0%)

2companies,⑨ Affected the company's reputation and trust(22.2%)

0companies,⑩ Other

(0%)

0

1

2

66

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Summary of Survey Results on Bullying Harassment onboard
Survey Results(Part 4‐2)(Responses from seafarers)(13) For those who selected "① Yes" in question (2), what impact did the incidents you experienced have on your work or internal
relationships?
Please select all that apply. If multiple options apply, please select all that apply.

Number of respondents: 79 individuals① Led to your own resignation or leave ofabsence

11individuals,(13.9%)② Led to the resignation or leave of absence ofother seafarers (excluding yourself)

7individuals,(8.9%)③ Deterioration of the atmosphere orinterpersonal relationships on board

43individuals,(54.4%)

46individuals,(58.2%)④ Decreased motivation for work

⑤ Impaired to fully utilize your capabilities compared
to before

29individuals,(36.7%)⑥ Problems with work efficiency and ensuringsafety30individuals,(38.0%)

12individuals,(15.2%)⑦ Other
0

5

10

67

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Summary of Survey Results on Bullying Harassment onboard
Survey Results(Part 5-1)(Responses from Shipping Companies)(14) For those who selected "① Yes" in question (1), how did you handle the reports or complaints of harassment orbullying from seafarers?
Please select all applicable options.
Number of respondents: 8 companies① Conducted factual investigations as
a company

8companies,(100%)② Entrusted investigations to the 0companies,(0%)
relevant authorities in the port state③ Entrusted the response to the 0companies,(0%)
classification society in the port state

0

1

2

68

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Summary of Survey Results on Bullying Harassment onboard
Survey Results(Part5‐2)(Responses from Shipping Companies)(15) For those who selected "① Conducted factual investigations as a company" in question (14), what actions did you
take when harassment or bullying was confirmed as a result of the factual investigations?
Please select all applicable options. If multiple measures were taken, please select all corresponding options.
Number of respondents: 8 companies① Took measures to support the seafarer victims(e.g., assistance in improving the relationship between thevictim and perpetrator, disembarkation or reassignment toseparate the victim and perpetrator, perpetrator's apology,
assistance with the victim's mental health issues, etc.)

6companies,(75.0%)② Took disciplinary actions, guidance, or mandated
training for the seafarer perpetrator based on thecompany's internal rules or SMS manual

5companies,(62.5%)

4companies,(50.0%)③ Conducted internal training or measures
to prevent recurrence as a company④ Other

0companies,(0%)⑤ Did not take any action.

0companies,
(0%)
0

1

69

2

3

4

5

6

7

Summary of Survey Results on Bullying Harassment onboard
Survey Results(Part5‐3)(Responses from seafarers)(16) For those who selected "① Yes" in question (2), how did you respond to the issue?
Please select all that apply.
If multiple options apply, please select all that apply.

Number of respondents: 111 individuals

63individuals,(56.8%)① Did nothing in particular (tolerated it)

30individuals,(27.0%)② Consulted or filed a complaint with otheronboard colleagues or superiors

10individuals,(9.0%)③ Consulted or filed a complaint with onboard
contact persons

4individuals,(3.6%)④ Consulted with friends or colleagues outside theship through SNS

7individuals,(6.3%)⑤ Consulted or filed a complaint with contact
persons from a company outside the ship
⑥ Filed a complaint with the maritime authorityof the flag state of the vessel

3individuals,(2.7%)⑦ Filed a complaint with the Port State Control(PSC) authority of the port of call

2individuals,(1.8%)
20individuals,(18.0%)⑧ Other
0

10

20

30
70

40

50

60

70

Summary of Survey Results on Bullying Harassment onboard
Survey Results(Part 5‐4)(Responses from seafarers)(17) For those who selected ‘①Did nothing in particular (tolerated it)’ in question (16). Please select the reason for this.
If there are multiple applicable items, please select all that apply.

Number of respondents: 81 individuals

17individuals,(21.0%)①There was no one or window to listen to
my consultations or complaints, etc.

②There was a window to listen to myconsultations or complaints, etc., but gave up
because I thought that they would not listen
to me even if I were consulted, etc.

16individuals,(19.8%)③There was someone or a window to listen
to my consultations or complaints, etc. but
there was a possibility that things would getworse if I were consulted, etc.

46individuals,(56.8%)

15individuals,(18.5%)④The other party’s remarks and actions werebearable for me.

10individuals,(12.3%)⑤Other

0

5

10

15

71

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Summary of Survey Results on Bullying Harassment onboard
Survey Results(Part 6-1)(Responses from seafarers)(18) For those who answered "① Yes" in question (2), please select the effects of the incidents during the voyage on yourpsychological or physical well-being after disembarking.
Please select all that apply.

Number of respondents: 72
individuals

49individuals,(68.1%)① Effects did not continue② Effects continued(still ongoing)

23individuals,(31.9%)

0

10

20

72

30

40

50

60

Summary of Survey Results on Bullying Harassment onboard
Survey Results(Part 6-2)(Responses from seafarers)(19) For those who selected "② Effects continued (still ongoing)" in question (18), please select the measures you took to
alleviate your psychological or physical distress.
Please select all that apply. If multiple options apply, please select all that apply.
Number of respondents: 45 individuals※If answering this question would cause you distress or anxiety, feel free to skip it.
15individuals,(33.3%)① Did not take any specific measures② Consulted or received treatment from aphysician or counselor contracted by thecompany

2individuals,(4.4%)③ Consulted with external specialists such as
doctors or counselors

4individuals,(8.9%)
3individuals,(6.7%)④ Regularly had meetings with company
representatives⑤ Consulted with fellow seafarers or friends
within the company

13individuals,(28.9%)⑥ Took leave (paid leave, sick leave, etc.)

5individuals,(11.1%)⑦ Took a leave of absence for a certain period

5individuals,(11.1%)
7individuals,(15.6%)⑧ Other
0

2

73

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

Summary of Survey Results on Bullying Harassment onboard
Survey Results(Part 7-1)(Responses from Shipping Companies)(20) Does your company take measures to address and prevent harassment and bullying?
Please select the applicable option③
1 companies,②(4.3%)
2 companies,(8.7%)① Yes, we are
implementing measures.

② No, but we plan toimplement them in the
future.
③ We have no plans to
implement them.

①
20 companies,(87.0%)
74

Number of respondents: 23 companies

Summary of Survey Results on Bullying Harassment onboard
Survey Results(Part 7-2)(Responses from Shipping Companies)(21) For those who selected "① Yes, we are implementing measures" in (20), please choose the measures that yourcompany has implemented to address incidents of harassment and bullying.
Number of respondents: 20 companies
If multiple measures apply, please select all that apply.
① Encouraging reporting of harassment andbullying incidents.

12companies,(60.0%)② Establishing channels and assigning responsible
personnel to handle confidential complaints andconsultations from seafarers who have experienced
harassment and bullying, and ensuring that this information
is known to the seafarers.

12companies,(60.0%)③ Conducting hearing and interviews by company HR personnel
or relevant personnel with parties involved and crew members
related to harassment incidents(e.g., gathering information on the causes of harassment,interpersonal relationships, and stress factors).

12companies,(60.0%)④ Developing manuals and publicizing them toprotect the privacy of harassment and bullying
complainants and perpetrators.

10companies,(50.0%)⑤ Establishing internal regulations and publicizing them that
stipulate that seafarers who have filed complaints or cooperated inreporting harassment and provided assistance will not facedisadvantages due to their involvement.

6companies,(30.0%)

0companies,(0%)⑥ Other
0

2

75

4

6

8

10

12

14

Summary of Survey Results on Bullying Harassment onboard
Survey Results(Part 7-3)(Responses from Shipping Companies)(22) For those who selected "② Establishing channels and assigning responsible personnel to handle confidential complaints and consultations
from seafarers who have experienced harassment and bullying, and ensuring that this information is known to the seafarers" in (21), how doyou facilitate easy access for seafarers?
Number of respondents: 14 companies
Please select the applicable options.If multiple options apply, please select all that apply① Allowing seafarers to directly contact the company's HR
personnel (contact persons for consultations) via email ormobile phone regarding harassment or other issues without
involving their immediate superiors.

14companies,(100%)② Establishing and operating a common contact point
within each group company, allowing seafarers to directly
contact via email or mobile phone regarding harassment orother issues without involving their immediate superiors.

8companies,(57.1%)③ Setting up and operating a contact point outside thecompany contracted for this purpose, allowing seafarers to
directly contact via email or mobile phone regardingharassment or other issues without involving their
immediate superiors.

4companies,(28.6%)

0companies,(0%)④ Other

0

2

76

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

Summary of Survey Results on Bullying Harassment onboard
Survey Results(Part 7-4)(Responses from Shipping Companies)(23) For those who selected "④ Developing manuals and publicizing them to protect the privacy of harassment and bullying complainants andperpetrators" in (21), what measures do you take to protect the privacy of individuals involved in harassment and bullying cases reported byseafarers?
Please select the applicable options. If multiple options apply, please select all that apply.

Number of respondents: 10 companies① Ensuring communication methods andconsultation locations are designed to protect
the confidentiality of complainants.

6companies,(60.0%)

8companies,(80.0%)② Informing complainants in advance that
their privacy will be protected.

③ Conducting separate interviews with thecomplainant and the alleged harasser orother crew members involved.

9companies,(90.0%)

0companies,(0%)④ Other

0

1

2

77

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Summary of Survey Results on Bullying Harassment onboard
Survey Results(Part 7-5)(Responses from Shipping Companies)(24)Measures Deemed Necessary for Preventing Harassment and Bullying in Maritime Employment
Please select the measures you consider necessary. If multiple options apply, please select all that apply.
Additionally, if there are any other measures you consider necessary, please provide details.

Number of respondents: 21 companies① Regular visits by company HR personnel(Tounderstand interpersonal relationships andharassment issues onboard and conduct
interviews with seafarers)

16 companies,(76.2%)② Implementation of training programs on
preventing harassment, including power
harassment (internal and external)

14 companies,(66.7%)
12 companies,(57.1%)③ Promotion of regular communication amongseafarers(Through company initiatives)

13 companies,(61.9%)④ Building relationships that enable mutual
consultation among seafarers when facing difficulties
in work or onboard life (Through company initiatives)⑤ Implementation of approaches and practice for providing
feedback or reprimands to subordinates(e.g., avoiding prejudgment about subordinates' behaviors,
focusing on addressing problematic actions rather than personal
attacks)

11 companies,(52.4%)
10 companies,(47.6%)⑥ Clarification of instructions and explanations
from superiors to subordinates, andattentiveness to subordinates' opinions

1 companies,(4.8%)⑦ Other
0

2

4

78

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

Summary of Survey Results on Bullying Harassment onboard
Survey Results(Part 7-6)(Responses from seafarers)(25)This question is for everyone.
What measures do you believe are necessary to prevent harassment and bullying?
Please select all that apply. If multiple options apply, please select all that apply.

Number of respondents: 556 individuals① Company's recommendation to report harassment and bullying

370individuals,(66.5%)② Establishment of channels and contact persons to confidentially reportcomplaints or seek consultation regarding harassment and bullying, along withraising awareness among seafarers

375individuals,(67.4%)③ Prompt and objective hearings or interviews conducted by designated personnel onboard orcompany HR personnel with the parties involved or relevant crew members in case of complaints or
consultations(e.g., gathering information on the cause of harassment, interpersonal relationships, and stressfactors)

313individuals,(56.3%)④ Development and publicizing of manuals to protect the privacy ofcomplainants and offenders, among others

224individuals,(40.3%)⑤ Development and publicizing of internal regulations ensuring that seafarers who
filed complaints or cooperate in reporting harassment and confirming facts are notsubjected to disadvantageous treatment as a result

257individuals,(46.2%)
234individuals,(42.1%)⑥ Establishment of a system where seafarers of similar age can support
junior seafarers as mentors⑦ Periodic visits by company HR personnel to understand interpersonal
relationships onboard and suitability of boarding together(taking into consideration the duration and cohabitation in case of issues)

265individuals,(47.7%)
28individuals,(5.0%)⑧ Other
79

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400