Maersk Line Limited Will Revise Safety Reporting Policy Following Whistleblower Case
The worker in question has been awarded compensation after termination for reporting safety concerns.
- By Robert Yaniz Jr.
- Jul 31, 2024
Maersk Line Limited, a leading marine cargo services provider, has agreed to alter its safety reporting policies and compensate a seaman it had terminated after they reported safety issues to the U.S. Coast Guard. This development follows a U.S. Department of Labor investigation and a three-day hearing in June 2024.
According to a recent release, OSHA found that Maersk's policy—which required employees to notify the company before contacting federal agencies—violated the federal Seaman’s Protection Act. The investigation began after the seaman reported safety concerns aboard the Safmarine Mafadi in December 2020, including defective lifeboat equipment, crew alcohol use, inadequate supervision of cadet seamen and a faulty bilge system.
“The Department of Labor will enforce workers’ protected rights as whistleblowers under federal law,” Solicitor of Labor Seema Nanda said in a statement. “No employer may violate whistleblower regulations or create policies that require employees to notify their employer before they report concerns to federal regulatory agencies. This seaman showed the kind of bravery for which mariners have long been known by raising concerns that, left unchecked, could have endangered everyone aboard the Safmarine Mafadi.”
As part of the settlement, Maersk has agreed to remove the requirement for workers to notify the company before contacting the U.S. Coast Guard, avoid future retaliation, train all supervisors on the revised policy and distribute OSHA’s Seaman’s Protection Act Fact Sheet to its U.S.-flagged vessel seamen for the next two years. Maersk also agreed to comply with all regulations and compensate the terminated seaman for lost wages and damages.
“This resolution is a victory for mariners aboard U.S.-flagged vessels worldwide,” OSHA Assistant Secretary Douglas L. Parker said in a statement. “Workers who cope with the ocean’s natural hazards should never fear reporting concerns about their vessel’s safety.”
Maersk Line Limited, headquartered in Norfolk, operates the largest U.S. flag fleet in commercial service, employing about 700 U.S. mariners. It is the largest subsidiary of A.P. Moeller-Maersk, the global Denmark-based provider of maritime transport and logistics services.
About the Author
Robert Yaniz Jr. is the Content Editor of Occupational Health & Safety.