Dealing with Bullying and Toxic Seniors Onboard Ship
This is the topic nobody in the maritime industry talks about officially. Cadets and junior officers deal with it every contract. Here is the honest guide — your rights, your options, and how to survive and come out stronger.
What Counts as Bullying Onboard
- Verbal abuse: Shouting, humiliating language, name-calling in front of crew
- Threatening behaviour: Physical intimidation, threats about your report or contract
- Workload abuse: Unreasonable work orders, denied rest hours
- Sleep deprivation: Kept on watch beyond permitted hours
- Social isolation: Being excluded, deliberately left out of information
- Discrimination based on nationality, religion, caste
What is NOT bullying: Firm correction when you make a mistake. High standards and strict supervision. These are part of ship culture and your growth.
The line between strict and abusive is clear when you ask: “Is this person teaching me or just hurting me?”
Your Legal Rights Under MLC 2006
The Maritime Labour Convention (MLC 2006) is international law. India has ratified it. Under MLC:
You have the right to:
- Decent living and working conditions (Regulation 3.1)
- Maximum hours of work / minimum hours of rest (Regulation 2.3) — 10 hours rest in 24, 77 hours in 7 days
- Report a complaint without fear of retaliation (Regulation 5.1.5)
- Repatriation at company expense if contract terms are seriously violated (Regulation 2.5)
The ship must have:
- An onboard complaints procedure (written)
- Access to shore-based complaint mechanism
Immediate Steps When You’re Being Bullied
Step 1: Document Everything
- Write dates, times, exactly what was said or done
- Note witnesses (even if they won’t speak up, note who was present)
- Keep this in a personal notebook, not ship’s log
- Screenshot any electronic messages if safe to do so
Step 2: Know Your Ship’s Complaint Procedure
- Every MLC-compliant ship has a posted complaint procedure
- Usually found in the SMS (Safety Management System) manual
- You can report to: Master (if not the problem), Company Safety Officer, DPA (Designated Person Ashore)
Step 3: Contact Shore
- DPA (Designated Person Ashore): Every ISM-code ship must have one. Their contact is in the SMS.
- Company HR/Crew Department: Most large companies have confidential HR lines
- ITF (International Transport Workers’ Federation): Available in most international ports
- DG Shipping helpline India: For Indian flag ships
Step 4: Protect Your Rest Hours
- If being forced to work beyond rest hour limits, note it
- Rest hour violations are a Port State Control deficiency — this is serious for the company
- Mention it to ITF inspector at next port if violations continue
When to Think About Repatriation
If the situation is:
- Physically threatening to your safety
- Severely affecting your mental health
- Involving sexual harassment
- Making the ship uninhabitable
You have the right to request repatriation on medical grounds (mental health is covered) or for breach of employment agreement.
This will affect your contract record. Understand the consequence before pulling this option — but sometimes it’s the only right call.
The Mental Health Reality
Onboard bullying at sea hits harder than onshore because:
- You cannot leave at 6PM
- You sleep in the same space as your tormentors
- You’re isolated from family and support systems
- Poor internet makes real-time support difficult
Signs you need to take action:
- Sleep disrupted by anxiety
- Dreading shift start
- Not eating properly
- Emotional numbness or breakdown
- Thoughts of self-harm
If any of these are present — this is a medical situation. See the ship’s medical officer (or contact shore via radio if no officer). Your mental health is not less real than a broken arm.
Building Resilience
- Talk to someone onboard — other cadets, ratings, a friendly officer. Isolation amplifies everything.
- Maintain routine — exercise, meals, sleep at the same time. Structure fights depression.
- Contact home — even a 10-minute call completely resets your state.
- Know this is temporary — your contract ends. Bad seniors don’t follow you to your next ship.
- Learn what you can — even toxic environments have technical learning. Extract it and leave the rest.
If you’re going through a difficult situation onboard and need someone to talk to, SailorGPT is available 24/7. It’s confidential, it understands ship life, and it will never judge you.