Report: Maersk keeps key information from major sexual harassment investigation secret
“Maersk is unusually silent when it comes to the extent of sexual harassment and assault on its many ships. Despite extensive research and interviews with hundreds of female seafarers, the company is tight-lipped about the extent of the problem. Nor can Maersk promise that women will experience better conditions in the coming years.”
See Related Story: Maersk RE-HIRED Man Who Sexually Harassed, Assaulted & Stalked Young U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Cadet
Via Berlingske
March 25, 2025
When asked about the number of cases involving sexual harassment and assault within the company, Maersk is reluctant to provide clear answers.
The major Danish shipping company refuses to disclose the extent of the problem or how many women have experienced sexual misconduct aboard its massive container ships, which can remain isolated from the outside world for weeks at a time.
The company also will not promise that women will see improvements in the coming years.
Investigative Report
This is not the first time we have heard accounts of what female employees face on Maersk’s ships worldwide. While Maersk itself is not eager to discuss the issue, journalists Lasse Friis and Sarah Vinten Møbius from Berlingske have obtained previously undisclosed documents revealing new details about a case involving misconduct against a woman at sea. Particularly noteworthy is their insight into how Maersk handles perpetrators of such offenses.
In an interview with Berlingske, Maersk claims there have been improvements for female seafarers following a series of harassment and assault cases in recent years.
This follows a string of serious incidents involving Maersk in recent years. Most recently, Berlingske reported on Tuesday that a boatswain fired for sexual harassment was later rehired by the company.
“I am not going to sit here today and say that we have completed our cultural transformation—because we haven’t, and this is a long, challenging process. But we are seeing positive trends since we started implementing new initiatives,” says Nynne Norman Scheuer, Director of Marine HR and Culture Transformation in Maersk’s fleet.
Large-Scale Investigation
Maersk possesses internal data on the scale of sexual harassment and assault cases after conducting a comprehensive study. This included interviews with 350 women aboard Maersk ships about their experiences.
“We spoke with the women to gain an understanding of the issues. What we saw was that not all women felt safe on our ships. That was a very important data point for us in shaping our response,” says Nynne Norman Scheuer.
When asked how many of the interviewed women had experienced sexual harassment or other forms of misconduct, Scheuer declined to provide specific figures.
“We do not wish to share those specific numbers, but we can say that not all women felt safe on our ships. However, when discussing this, I want to emphasize that we have not yet completed our cultural transformation,” she states.
Why won’t Maersk disclose the extent of the problem?
“There is a dark figure in these cases, meaning that the data may not fully capture the reality. That is why we do not believe sharing the survey’s figures would necessarily provide an accurate picture,” she explains.
“It makes more sense to focus on what we have done about it and the impact of our initiatives. And here, we can say that we have observed a clear decline in the number of reported cases, but we are not there yet,” says Scheuer.
A Response to a Sexist and Unsafe Culture
Maersk’s initiatives stem from a major scandal in 2021, when 19-year-old American cadet Hope Hicks reported that she had been raped aboard a Maersk vessel.
Initially speaking out anonymously through a blog, Hicks later revealed her identity and recounted her experience to CNN. She disclosed that nine female classmates from the prestigious U.S. Merchant Marine Academy had also been raped while at sea with various shipping companies.
Following her account, multiple women came forward with similar experiences.
A 2023 report from the University of Southern Denmark further revealed that Danish ships have experienced “a significant number of cases of bullying, harassment, unwanted sexual attention, threats of violence, and actual physical violence.” The study found that 16% of female seafarers had encountered sexual misconduct at sea.
However, Maersk has refused to disclose whether similar statistics apply to its own vessels.
“What I can say is that the trend we see in the number of colleagues experiencing bullying, harassment, or discrimination has shown a clear decline over the past three years. That is a positive development, but we have not completed our cultural transformation—it is a long, tough process,” Scheuer states.
What Lies Ahead?
Does Maersk believe the number of cases remains at an unacceptable level?
“I want to emphasize that we approach this with great humility. We can see that things are moving in the right direction, with fewer reports of discrimination, harassment, and bullying. That is positive. But that does not mean we are finished. This is a long, challenging process,” says Scheuer.
Is a ship an especially vulnerable environment for women?
“I’m not here to compare us with other industries, but what I can say is that we see a clear positive development from when we started this effort to now.”
What would you say to a young woman considering a career in the maritime industry?
“Fortunately, we have many women who want to work for us. We see an increase in female applicants. They find the industry attractive, and many women still want to pursue a career at sea,” Scheuer states.
Since Maersk launched its cultural transformation efforts in 2022, the proportion of female seafarers has risen from 2.2% to 6% of the total workforce. Of Maersk’s approximately 12,000 seafarers, more than 700 are now women.
Can women expect better conditions aboard Maersk ships in the coming years?
“We are continuing the transformation we have started. We have completed most of the training initiatives we introduced, and we will keep going. This approach will become increasingly integrated into how we operate.”
Can you guarantee improvements?
“What I can say is that we are continuing the transformation, and we are already seeing improvements, as fewer people report experiencing this completely unacceptable behavior.”
Maersk’s Initiatives for Safer Working Conditions
Despite its reluctance to discuss the extent of the problem, Maersk has introduced several initiatives aimed at improving working conditions for women at sea:
Leadership Training: Senior officers have completed a four-day training program focused on their responsibility to create a safer and more supportive workplace.
Minimum Female Presence: New regulations require that there be at least two women aboard each vessel.
24/7 Hotline: Employees can now contact an HR representative at any time.
Cadet Reporting System: Young cadets must now report on their experiences after disembarking and receive follow-ups while onboard.