Action
Notice and request for comments.
Summary
After consulting with operators of commercial vessels and other Sea Year stakeholders, on December 15, 2021, the Maritime Administration (MARAD) released on its website agency guidance entitled Every Mariner Builds a Respectful Culture (EMBARC). The EMBARC standards enumerate sexual assault and sexual harassment (SASH) prevention and response safety criteria for commercial vessel operators approved to carry cadets from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) for training purposes. EMBARC includes compliance procedures, and sexual assault and sexual harassment (SASH) prevention and response standards that all commercial vessel operators should implement before the USMMA entrusts them with the at-sea training of midshipmen. EMBARC will help strengthen the maritime industry's efforts to prevent and respond to incidents of SASH and other forms of misconduct and help ensure a safer training environment for all cadets. By this notice, MARAD is seeking public comment on its EMBARC policy.