Maritime lobby makes sexual harassment training mandatory

Effective January 1, 2026, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) will implement a significant amendment to the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW). 

This update introduces mandatory sexual harassment awareness training for all seafarers worldwide under the Personal Safety and Social Responsibilities (PSSR) module of Basic Safety Training. 

Already, Kenya’s accredited maritime training institutions like the Mount Kenya University (MKU), Malindi Maritime Academy, Premier Maritime Training Institute (PMTI), Harbourview Maritime College, Pioneer University, Bandari Maritime Academy, Kenya Coast National Polytechnic and Kenya Railways Marine Schools are firming up plans to have the new module course taught in their respective institutions.

Kenyan seafarers working on board both cargo and cruise ships have welcomed the new development.

Veteran seafarer and former General Secretary of the Seafarers Union of Kenya (SUK) Andrew Mwangura termed the move a landmark development that represents a critical step towards addressing harassment and discrimination at sea, issues that have been systematically overlooked in the global maritime industry for far too long.

Mwangura noted that some manning and recruiting agencies are prematurely enforcing the new training module ahead of the January 2026 effective date. 

“These actions are not only unwarranted but fundamentally misleading and unfair to seafarers who are being pressured into undertaking training that is not yet legally required,” he said. 

He explained that according to the maritime regulator, Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA), the new training requirements take effect only from January 2026, and all existing basic safety training certificates remain fully valid until that date. 

“Any attempt to compel seafarers to complete this training early represents a clear misrepresentation of international maritime law and imposes unnecessary financial burdens on workers, who are often already operating under economic constraints,” he said. 

Mwangura said the premature enforcement suggests either a troubling lack of understanding of international regulations or, more concerningly, an opportunistic attempt to extract additional fees from seafarers during a transitional period.

“This situation exposes a wider and more systemic challenge within Kenya’s maritime labour and training systems, specifically a persistent lack of regulatory understanding, oversight, and accountability. 

The confusion surrounding the implementation timeline is symptomatic of deeper governance issues that have long plagued Kenya’s maritime sector,’’ the veteran seafarer official sought to explain. KMA, which bears primary responsibility for ensuring compliance with international maritime standards,  Mwangura said, must act swiftly to clarify the correct implementation timeline and prevent further exploitation of seafarers by unscrupulous operators.

“Beyond addressing this immediate confusion, we must recognise that the new IMO regulation represents far more than a procedural update to training requirements. It signals a fundamental cultural shift in how the maritime industry conceptualises safety itself,” he added.

Another maritime specialist, Eddy Thornton, said for long, maritime safety has focused almost exclusively on physical hazards such as machinery accidents, fire, flooding, and man overboard situations. 

“The explicit inclusion of sexual harassment awareness training within the Basic Safety Training framework establishes that safety at sea must encompass psychological safety, dignity, respect, and mental well-being,’’ he said. 

Meanwhile, Mwangura noted this expanded understanding acknowledges that a hostile work environment characterised by harassment, discrimination, or intimidation is itself a safety hazard that undermines crew cohesion, impairs decision-making, and ultimately endangers lives and vessels.

He said to effectively address sexual harassment and discrimination at sea, Kenya cannot simply adopt a “box-checking approach” to compliance. 

Meeting the minimum requirements of the IMO amendment, while necessary, is insufficient to create meaningful change in workplace culture aboard vessels. 

Mwangura urged the government, in consultation with key stakeholders in the maritime supply chain, to fast-track and develop a comprehensive national framework for preventing and responding to harassment and discrimination within the maritime sector.

“This framework must establish clear, accessible, and confidential reporting mechanisms for victims that protect them from retaliation while ensuring thorough investigation of complaints,” he said. 

He suggested that it should integrate gender sensitivity and cultural awareness throughout all maritime training programmes, not merely as isolated modules but as principles woven into the fabric of maritime education, adding that the framework must also promote ethical practices among manning and crewing agents through regular audits, certification requirements, and meaningful penalties for violations.

“Kenyan crewing agencies, which serve as critical intermediaries between seafarers and shipowners, must embrace their responsibility to act with integrity and transparency,” Mwangura emphasised 

He reiterated that while accurately interpreting and implementing international regulations is not optional, but fundamental to maintaining Kenya’s reputation as a credible and reliable supplier of maritime labour in an increasingly competitive global market. 

Mwangura added that the maritime industry’s long-term success depends on building trust and demonstrating that Kenyan seafarers are not only technically competent but also trained and supported within systems that uphold international standards and ethical principles.

Progressive maritime nations and companies increasingly recognise that a vessel’s safety and operational efficiency depend not only on technical competence but on fostering work environments characterised by mutual respect, dignity, and psychological safety. 

Kenya, Mwangura said, has both a moral duty and a strategic opportunity to position itself at the forefront of these reforms within Africa and to set a compelling example for maritime governance globally. 

“By taking decisive action now to clarify regulatory requirements, protect seafarers from exploitation, and develop comprehensive frameworks for preventing harassment and discrimination, Kenya can demonstrate that it is not merely responding to international mandates but actively shaping the future of maritime labour standards,” he said.