At SCI’s Center for Mariner Advocacy (CMA), we regularly engage in discussions focused on mariner health and safety. Recently, the U.S. Coast Guard commissioned the National Academies of Sciences (NAS) to study the role of alcohol use in the maritime industry and its impact on related incidents. In response, NAS initiated a study titled “Prevention, Mitigation, and Response to Alcohol Misuse and Related Incidents in the Commercial Maritime Industry.” Over the past year, NAS has been conducting research on this issue, including hosting information-gathering meetings with subject matter experts to enhance their understanding.

Phil Schifflin, Esq., CMA Director, took part in one of these meetings as a panelist in a session titled “Perspectives from Support Service Organizations.” Other panelists included representatives from the International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots, the Women Offshore Foundation, and a maritime mental health professional. The panel engaged in a thoughtful discussion on the potential causes of alcohol misuse and its connection to other incidents.

The meeting also featured two other panels: Perspectives from Commercial Maritime Industry Operators and Evidence-Based Practices for Promoting Workplace Safety Culture. Given that this study was commissioned by the U.S. Coast Guard, a key regulator in the U.S. maritime industry, CMA will provide a recap of the findings from NAS once they emerge.

Video of Panel (National Academies–Sciences, Engineering, Medicine)