Samuel Sullivan Irvin, III: Maersk Chief Mate & Captain, Member of Masters, Mates, & Pilots Labor Union, and Credibly Accused Shipboard Sexual Predator

According to documents and victim statements contained in one of the most expansive U.S. Coast Guard Suspension & Revocation investigations ever conducted by the Coast Guard, Samuel Sullivan Irvin, III was a prolific shipboard sexual predator who terrorized numerous female cadets and other female mariners who sailed aboard his vessels.

Irvin was eventually charged with 12 counts of shipboard sexual misconduct by the U.S. Coast Guard, including the rape, forcible sodomy, molestation, and sexual harassment of women serving under him aboard his vessels.

Samuel Sullivan Irvin, III was a 1979 graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Irvin was a deck officer and a member of the Masters, Mates, & Pilots labor union who rose to the position of Captain with Maersk Line, Limited—the U.S. subsidiary of Danish shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk.

Samuel Irvin III did not face criminal charges and did not even permanently lose his Merchant Mariner’s license as a result of the Coast Guard’s sexual misconduct investigation. Instead, Irvin signed an until-recently secret Settlement Agreement with the U.S. Coast Guard that was approved via a Consent Order signed by a U.S. Coast Guard Administrative Law Judge. Per the secret agreement, Irvin had his Merchant Mariner’s license suspended for 30 months (2.5 years) and was required to “enroll and complete a bona fide Sexual Harassment training.”

Irvin was represented in matters before the Coast Guard by attorney William Hewig III. Hewig also represented Maersk Captain Mark Stinziano in Stinziano’s sexual misconduct S&R trial that resulted in only a four month suspension for Stinziano. Irvin and Stinziano were both members of the Masters, Mates, & Pilots labor union.

Upon completion of his 30 month suspension, Irvin was free to continue his career at sea, although it is not known if he ever returned to sea following the long suspension. After a fight with the Coast Guard that took more than 2.5 years and required the filing of a federal lawsuit against the agency, MLAA obtained records from USCG vs. Irvin, which had for more than a decade been closely-guarded secrets within the USCG.

Links to case documents and victims’ horror stories about sailing with Captain Samuel Sullivan Irvin, III:

1. Through Constant & Insane Sexual Harassment, Capt. Sam Irvin Prevented Me from Doing My Job, Undermined My Confidence & Placed the Ship & Crew in Danger because I Would Not Agree to Sleep With Him

2. I Saw Capt Samuel Irvin Sexually Harass the 2nd Mate Throughout the Voyage & Saw Him Place the Vessel in Serious Danger. Irvin Also Told a Pilot He Wished His Daughter Would Commit Suicide.

3. I Sailed As a Deck Cadet with Maersk Under Chief Mate Samuel Sullivan Irvin. After a Few Weeks of Sexual Harassment, Being Around Irvin Became Unbearable and I Began Having Nightmares About Him.

4. Samuel Irvin Subjected Me to Horrific Sexual Harassment & Abuse. I Lost 20 Pounds b/c I Could Barely Swallow Food. When He Reads This Statement He’ll Know the True Extent of What He Put Me Through

5. Coast Guard Commandant: Please Investigate Captain Samuel Sullivan Irvin. He is a sexual predator, but the response to Our Allegations by Maersk and MMP “has been chilling to say the least.”

6. Every day Sailing with C/M Sam Irvin was extremely uncomfortable. I was scared & dreaded reporting to work. I chose to forget most of it, but these are the things that were not as easy to forget.

7. When I Was a Cadet Sailing With Maersk, Chief Mate Samuel Irvin Broke Into My Room and Tried to Get in Bed With Me. He Was Drunk and Was Supposed to Be on the Bridge Standing Watch at the Time.

8. A Female Coast Guard Officer and Kings Point Graduate Fought Maersk, Masters Mates & Pilots, and Her Own Corrupt Agency to Take Down Shipboard Sexual Predator Samuel Sullivan Irvin, III

9. Maersk Chief Mate Charged With Shipboard Rape and Molestation By U.S. Coast Guard Allowed to Keep His Merchant Mariner’s License After Signing Secret Settlement Agreement

10. U.S. Coast Guard vs. Samuel Sullivan Irvin, III: Consent Order, Settlement Agreement, and Investigation Report