Influential Maritime YouTuber and USMMA Professor Sal Mercogliano Condemns Maersk's Rehiring of Sex Predator Who Terrorized USMMA Cadet

March 26, 2025

New York, NY

By: MLAA

Maritime influencer Dr. Salvatore Mercogliano, whose influential voice reaches hundreds of thousands through his shipping-focused content, has publicly weighed in on the latest Maersk sexual harassment scandal, condemning the Danish company's decision to re-hire a crew member the company had previously fired for sexually harassing a U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) cadet.

The controversy stems from a recently published exposé titled "Documents Reveal Maersk Rehired Man Who Sexually Harassed, Assaulted & Stalked Young U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Cadet," which details how the shipping giant terminated an employee for sexual misconduct in 2018, only to bring him back aboard another company vessel two years later and continue to employ him. The investigation, originally published by Danish newspaper Berlingske and translated by MLAA, has reignited concerns about safety and accountability in the maritime industry.

Dr. Mercogliano, who runs the popular "What's Going On With Shipping" YouTube channel with over 419,000 subscribers and maintains a following of more than 50,000 on X, took a firm stance that Maersk should not rehire known sexual predators after terminating them for sexual misconduct. His position carries particular weight given both his academic role at the very institution the victim attended and his substantial influence within the maritime community.

“Of course, Maersk should not rehire him," declared Mercogliano in a Tuesday night post on the X social network that cut straight to the heart of the controversy surrounding the shipping giant's personnel decisions.

In his exchange with MLAA, Mercogliano also emphasized that maritime unions could play a crucial role in keeping offenders off ships by limiting their future employment opportunities across the industry.

As both a maritime historian and a professor at the USMMA, Mercogliano's perspective represents a bridge between academic standards and industry practices. Mercogliano is an adjunct professor at the Academy and teaches a graduate course in the Masters in Marine Engineering program. Mercogliano is also a graduate of SUNY Maritime College.

The case in question involves a 60-year-old Bosun named Magdy Hassan Balat who allegedly sexually harassed, stalked, and threatened a female USMMA cadet aboard the Maersk Memphis in 2018. Despite Maersk firing Balat following an internal investigation that confirmed the Cadet’s allegations, the company rehired Balat just two years later, allowing him to work on other Maersk vessels until his retirement in 2024.

Maersk has defended its actions by citing union influence and U.S. maritime regulations, claiming limitations on their ability to permanently ban individuals who have "served their punishment.” In this case, Balat received a mere three-month suspension handed down by the U.S. Coast Guard’s Administrative Law Judge Court after an investigation was conducted by the Coast Guard Investigative Service.

Maritime attorney Ryan Melogy dismisses Maersk's explanations outright. “That's total B.S.,” Melogy states bluntly. "Maersk knew exactly what they were doing. They can absolutely choose not to rehire mariners they've fired for sexual harassment if that's what the company wants to do. Nothing in U.S. maritime law forces a shipping company to bring back known predators. If Maersk is concerned about provisions in private labor contracts, they can re-negotiate those contracts. They’ve chosen not to do so for business and profit-maximization reasons.”

MLAA has previous reported on the case, and published the name of the mariner. On X, MLAA publicly acknowledged Mercogliano's position, noting that he "took the correct and obvious moral position that Maersk should not rehire known sexual predators after firing them."

This case highlights ongoing concerns about the safety of cadets and women in the maritime industry, particularly given the isolated nature of shipboard environments where harassment victims have limited escape options. For USMMA cadets completing their Sea Year training, the news that Maersk is rehiring known sex predators raises serious questions about the effectiveness of measures designed to protect USMMA cadets while they gain essential maritime experience.

With his extensive reach across social media platforms, Mercogliano's stance represents an important and influential voice in the industry calling for stronger accountability and safer workplaces for all maritime professionals.