Day of the Seafarer: Belgian initiatives that foster a safe, respectful and inclusive working environment for all seafarers

On the Day of the Seafarer, the Royal Belgian Shipowners’ Association (KBRV) joins the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in supporting the 2025 theme, “My Harassment-Free Ship.” This global initiative underscores the vital importance of fostering a safe, respectful, and inclusive working environment for all seafarers. Diversity, equity, and inclusion—including the empowerment of women and other underrepresented groups—are essential for the long-term success of the maritime industry.

Together with its members, regulators and educators, the KBRV is committed to ensuring more representative and safer working conditions onboard for every seafarer, regardless of gender, nationality, or background.

As part of the KBRV's video series on 'Belgian Maritime Thought Leadership', the interviews below provide insights from the field on how by working with the Belgian maritime authorities and the Antwerp Maritime Academy, the KBRV encourages more women to take on the seafaring profession and supports a harassment-free work environment for LGBTQIA+ seafarers.

Starting with Valérie Gregoir, Crewing Manager at CMB.TECH, she highlights how seafaring is an important yet challenging profession. “You make it happen with a small team you have on your ship. You live together, you work together, and you bring an enormous wealth to this planet.”

https://youtu.be/3DFZ9HR116s

Elke Stoffelen, Crewing Operations Manager and CPT Simon Rogier, DPA and Marine Superintendent, from EXMAR Ship Management explain how their grievance committee ashore is closing the gap in the communication between the ship and the shore. The diversity of the committee itself allows for complaints to be handled in a fair and neutral manner.

https://youtu.be/_YztpxDeATg

The Antwerp Maritime Academy (AMA) is a global frontrunner in integrating bullying and harassment issues into its curriculum. The course material was developed in collaboration with psychologists, seafarers, and communication specialists. As Lecturer-Researcher CPT Kathy Speelman explains, AMA is an active member of ‘MET-NET’, a network of maritime education institutes, where it contributes to curriculum development and promotes knowledge-sharing on these critical topics. AMA student Tom Roose notes that his maritime education equips him with the skills to handle such situations effectively, as the course is grounded in real-life incidents.

https://youtu.be/eTh1s6k32Ac

Boskalis has introduced a buddy system for its women seafarers: each new woman seafarer is paired with a more experienced one ashore. The mentor offers guidance and a listening ear, providing a safe space for the newcomer to ask questions and share experiences with someone who understands the realities of being a woman onboard. The system has been so successful, says Marinka Verhage, HR Director at Boskalis, that it has now been extended to shore-based positions and has received positive feedback from female maritime students.

https://youtu.be/lfO5STXS0Zc

As the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 does not specifically address the issue of diversity, equity and inclusion, the Belgian Directorate-General for Shipping is submitting a proposal together with a number of IMO member states to include the development of initiatives for underrepresented groups. Anyès Nauwelaerts, Head of Legal Affairs, Human Element and Liability, shares how Belgium has always been particularly more involved in promoting LGBTQIA+ rights. But a more diverse maritime industry that comprises people from different cultural or racial backgrounds or different sexual orientations and identities where everyone feels safe and included can only make it a more attractive profession. Companies have already put in place numerous programmes, governments cannot stay behind and need to institutionalise it.

https://youtu.be/aS_xNBP-Bdg

"The Day of the Seafarer is when we celebrate the profession for all seafarers," says Wilfried Lemmens, KBRV Managing Director. "These initiatives show that Belgian shipowners are not shying away from the uncomfortable topic of bullying, harassment and discrimination. Instead, we take this very seriously as we know that a safe and diverse workplace will only attract more talents to join our industry."