The U.S. subsidiary of the Danish shipping company A.P. Moller-Maersk said Friday it settled a federal lawsuit with a cadet at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) who reported being raped by a supervisor while at sea.
Former USMMA Cadet Hope Hicks used the pen name “Midshipman X” when she publicly described how she was sexually assaulted in 2019 while training aboard the Maersk cargo ship Alliance Fairfax. Ms. Hicks later revealed her identity after filing the suit in New York Supreme Court against Maersk Line Ltd. (MLL).
She accused the company of being aware of the prevalence of sexual assault and sexual harassment aboard the ships but not doing enough to enforce measures against it. The charge sent shock waves through the U.S. shipping industry and temporarily halted the practice of sending USMMA cadets to sea.
Attorneys for Ms. Hicks and MLL agreed that neither side will disclose the details of the agreement.
The shipping company said it has initiated a “full program” of training, reporting and accountability within MLL and is working with industry stakeholders, such as the labor unions, the U.S. Maritime Administration, USMMA and state maritime academies, along with the Coast Guard.
“It is important to me that my case has brought greater awareness of the issue of sexual assault and harassment at sea. The leadership of MLL has expressed the need for change,” Ms. Hicks said in a statement. “The changes that MLL has proposed are an important first step, but there is still a lot of work to be done in the maritime industry.”
William Woodhour, CEO of Maersk Line Ltd., said the events that Ms. Hicks described in her lawsuit were completely unacceptable.
“No matter who and where you are, those who work with us must feel safe and protected in our work environment,” Mr. Woodhour said.
• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.
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