COPE to host webinar on the unjust criminalisation of seafarers

The Center for Ocean Policy and Economics (COPE°) is to host a webinar addressing the growing global issue of the unjust criminalisation of seafarers, with Capt. Kuba Szymanski, Secretary General of InterManager, among the featured speakers.

Organised by COPE°’s Maritime Safety & Security Working Group, the webinar will bring together maritime lawyers, policy experts, and industry leaders to examine how investigations and enforcement actions are increasingly affecting seafarers around the world.

Alongside Capt. Szymanski, speakers scheduled to participate include Hannah Dawicki (Director of Digital Project Management at COPE°), Lisbeth Laurie (Program Manager of the Maritime and Port Security Program of the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism (CICTE) of the Organization of American States (OAS)), Dr. Kristina Siig (maritime lawyer), Dr. Brian McNamara (Tulane University School of Professional Advancement), and Eric R. Dawicki (founder  COPE°), all of whom will contribute legal, operational, policy, and human rights perspectives to the discussion.

InterManager has long campaigned to protect seafarers from unfair criminalisation and Capt. Szymanski will participate in discussions focused on the lived realities facing seafarers, including lengthy detentions, investigations, and the personal and professional consequences that often follow maritime incidents. He will also contribute to a panel conversation examining the impact of criminalisation on seafarers’ families and the role shipping companies and managers can play in supporting crews before, during, and after investigations.

To accommodate participants across multiple regions and time zones, COPE° will host two live sessions featuring the same content. Session 1 will take place on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, from 1:00–2:30pm EST, while Session 2 will be held on Thursday, June 18, 2026, from 9:00–10:30am EST. The webinar will be free to attend in an effort to encourage broad international participation.

According to COPE°, the discussion will focus on the increasing number of cases in which seafarers face detention, criminal prosecution, reputational harm, and prolonged separation from their families following incidents involving drugs, pollution, accidents, and other maritime events. The organisation says many seafarers become caught in legal processes despite having little or no control over the circumstances that triggered investigations.

Drawing on COPE°’s white paper, ‘Protecting the Human Rights of Seafarers Facing Adverse Conditions and Criminalization in the Maritime Industry’, the webinar will explore gaps in existing legal and regulatory frameworks and discuss proposals aimed at strengthening due process and fair treatment protections.

The webinar will feature discussions on the rise of seafarer criminalisation worldwide, real-world operational and legal case studies, the human and family impacts of detention and investigation, and the shortcomings of current international maritime legal protections. Speakers will also examine due process failures, barriers to accessing legal counsel, and the responsibilities of flag states, port states, and industry stakeholders. In addition, COPE° will present its proposal for an international treaty focused on seafarer protections, along with the concept of a maritime observatory intended to improve transparency, accountability, and reform across the sector.

COPE° says the webinar is intended not only to raise awareness, but also to foster candid discussion around systemic failures in maritime enforcement practices and encourage practical reforms that can better protect seafarers while strengthening maritime governance overall.

“Seafarers should not have to accept the risk of injustice as a condition of employment,” the organisation states in its event overview, emphasising that maritime workers are entitled to dignified treatment, due process, and meaningful legal protections.

The webinar will include interactive question-and-answer segments throughout, allowing attendees to submit questions in advance and participate during the live sessions. COPE° also plans to provide follow-up materials after the event, including key takeaways and additional resources.

COPE°’s Maritime Safety & Security Working Group focuses on strengthening maritime security, improving cross-border coordination, and supporting the safe and efficient movement of global trade. Registration is now open for both webinar sessions.

To register, click here: https://thecope.org/cope-webinar-addressing-the-unjust-criminalization-of-seafarers/