COPE° Webinar: Addressing the Unjust Criminalization of Seafarers - COPE°

COPE° Webinar: Addressing the Unjust Criminalization of Seafarers

A COPE° Maritime Safety & Security Working Group Webinar

Session 1: Tuesday, 16 June, 1:00–2:30 PM EST
Session 2: Thursday, 18 June, 9:00–10:30 AM EST

In order to expand accessibility, this webinar is FREE for all attendees.

Description

This COPE° Webinar will take a focused look at how investigations and enforcement are affecting seafarers around the world. Bringing together maritime law, policy, and industry perspectives, the discussion will examine the unjust criminalization of seafarers, gaps in current legal frameworks, and proposals to strengthen protections and promote fair treatment.

Registration Links

Join us for this important discussion on seafarers’ rights, maritime justice, and the need for stronger protections worldwide.

Dates & Times

Webinar: Session 1

Date: 16 June 2026
Time: 1:00 – 2:30 pm EST
Registration: Register for Session 1

Webinar: Session 2

Date: 18 June 2026
Time: 9:00 – 10:30 am EST
Registration: Register for Session 2

Overview

Seafarers are essential to global trade, yet in many cases they face serious legal and personal consequences for incidents beyond their control. Around the world, investigations related to drugs, pollution, accidents, and other maritime events have increasingly placed seafarers at risk of prolonged detention, criminal prosecution, reputational harm, and separation from their families.

This webinar, hosted by the Center for Ocean Policy and Economics (COPE°) and its Maritime Safety & Security Working Group, will take a focused look at how and why this occurs, where existing legal and regulatory frameworks fall short, and what measures may be needed to ensure fair treatment and due process.

Drawing on COPE°’s white paper, Protecting the Human Rights of Seafarers Facing Adverse Conditions and Criminalization in the Maritime Industry, the webinar will bring together maritime lawyers, policy experts, and industry leaders to examine the issue from legal, operational, and human perspectives.

To make the discussion accessible to participants across regions, COPE° will host two live sessions of the same webinar at different times.

What the Webinar Will Cover

Participants can expect discussion on:

- How investigations and enforcement actions are affecting seafarers around the world
- The growing problem of unjust criminalization in the maritime sector
- Real-world cases and operational perspectives from industry and seafaring professionals
- Gaps in current international and national legal frameworks
- Due process, fair treatment, and the rights of seafarers during investigations and detention
- COPE°’s proposal for an international treaty focused on seafarer protections
- The concept of a maritime observatory to improve transparency, accountability, and reform

Why This Discussion Matters

Seafarers should not have to accept the risk of injustice as a condition of employment. As the individuals at the foundation of an industry that supports the movement of global trade, they are entitled to dignified treatment, due process, and meaningful legal protections.

This webinar is intended not only to raise awareness of the issue, but also to encourage informed discussion on practical reforms that can better protect seafarers, strengthen maritime governance, and improve accountability across the global maritime system.

Format and Participation

The webinar will feature short presentations from invited speakers, followed by brief question-and-answer segments after each major section. A longer Q&A will also be held at the end of the session.

Participants will have the opportunity to:

- Submit questions in advance during registration
- Ask questions during the webinar
- Receive follow-up materials after the event, including key takeaways and related resources

Speakers

Lisbeth Laurie

Lisbeth Laurie is Program Manager and expert in the design of initiatives aiming to improve maritime and port security, including promoting, designing, and implementing key capacity-building programs for north, central and south American countries; developing training content, best practices, and tabletop exercises related to port security; and implementing efforts related to supply-chain security.

In her role as a Program Manager of the Maritime and Port Security Program of the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism (CICTE) of the Organization of American States (OAS), a multilateral organization covering the Americas, Ms. Laurie has led important initiatives: (1) the development of National Maritime Security Strategies for Guatemala, as well as for each of seven Eastern Caribbean countries and also creation of an Eastern Caribbean Regional Maritime Security Strategy; (2) an operational assessment of a key maritime port for the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; (3) publication of Maritime Cybersecurity in the Western Hemisphere Guidelines, and a Verification and Compliance Manual for Port Security Officials.

Ms. Laurie played a leading role in the substantive execution of a number capacity-building initiatives on supply chain security focused on Authorized Economic Operator Program in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Panama, Paraguay and Mexico, as well as in maritime and port security. This has included a number of comprehensive assessments of security-related capabilities at both the national and port levels in Belize, Costa Rica and Mexico; leading national level workshops on maritime security drills and exercises in Colombia, Guatemala, Jamaica, Panama and Uruguay (the latter in conjunction with the International Maritime Organization); and helping to facilitate a regional workshop and roundtable discussion among senior leadership responsible for maritime security in Latin America and the Caribbean.

In addition, Ms. Laurie conducted public outreach and have represented the OAS at numerous national and regional maritime security-related training courses, conferences and meetings of senior decision-makers with a view towards acting as a liaise with donors and prospective donors, and building partnerships with government bodies, stakeholders and other organizations.

At the General Secretariat of the OAS, Mrs. Laurie held a variety of managerial positions, primarily focused on promoting efficiency within the Organization by optimizing processes, resources and ensuring compliance with budgetary and financial rules and regulations of the General Secretariat, its subsidiary bodies, donors and other related entities. In 2010, Ms. Laurie was appointed by the OAS General Secretary as a board member of the OAS Medical Trust Fund.

Ms. Laurie holds degree as a Public Accountant (CPA) and a certification in Forensic Accounting from Georgetown University. As well as various graduated studies related to maritime security; including, Incident Command System; and Maritime and Port Security Official from the Navy University from Mexico; Dynamics of Maritime, River and Port Drug Trafficking from Navy School “Almirante Padilla” Colombia; and Development of National Security Strategies and Maritime Transport of Goods: Key elements, contracts and insurance from the International Maritime Business School from Spain. She is fluent in Spanish and English and has over twenty years of experience working for international organizations.

Dr. Brian McNamara

Dr. Kristina Siig

Capt. Kuba Szymanski

Captain Kuba Szymanski is the Secretary General for InterManager, the international trade association for the ship and crew management sector.

He began his sea career in 1985. Graduating from the Maritime University of Szczecin with a Master’s Degree, he became a deck officer with Dorchester Maritime Limited Isle of Man where he sailed gas/chemical/product tankers, reaching his first command as a Master in 1999. He continues to maintain his Captain’s Licence.

In order to support his managerial skills, he attended Lloyds Academy and obtained a Certificate in Ship Superintendence, before gaining an MBA at the International Business School, Isle of Man and John Moores University (JMU) Liverpool.

In his roles ashore, he worked as a Marine Superintendent, HSEQ Manager, Fleet Manager and General Manager. He was appointed Secretary General of InterManager in January 2010.

Through his role with InterManager, Capt Szymanski has participated in many industry-wide projects, including the production of international shipping industry Key Performance Indicators (KPI), the Save Our Seafarers campaign, and the Martha Project which focussed on seafarer fatigue at sea. He currently chairs the Human Element Industry Group (HEIG) Enclosed Space Committee. During the Covid-19 pandemic Capt Szymanski represented InterManager on a number of key maritime panels, supporting the health and well-being of seafarers around the world and helping to ensure business continuity for the global supply chain.

In addition to being a member of the Maritime Professional Council of the UK, Capt Szymanski is a fellow of the Nautical Institute and a member of its Executive Board. In 2011 he joined the TK Foundation, which supports non-profit maritime and youth programs, and he currently chairs its HR and Renumeration Committee.

Capt Szymanski is a familiar face on the international maritime conference circuit and also lectures on ship management at the International Business School, Isle of Man. In July 2018 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Solent Southampton University in recognition of his contribution to the maritime industry.

In April 2022 Capt Szymanski took up the additional role of Chair of the Board of the 200-year-old Seafarers Hospital Society (SHS), the UK’s oldest maritime charity. SHS provides a range of health and welfare services to UK-based seafarers and their dependants.

In his leisure time, Kuba is a keen yachtsman and races sails his Beneteau First 40.7 competitively around Europe, mostly double or single handed. He is married with a son who is also a seafarer.

Eric R. Dawicki

Eric R. Dawicki is an internationally respected maritime expert who has demonstrated leadership and industry-wide successes in the areas of maritime transportation, safety, security, and regulatory affairs, while also leading global advancements in maritime policy, education and training, and economic development.

A Master of Public Administration recipient with Concentrations in Public Affairs from American University in Washington, D.C., President Dawicki has led a distinguished career. With more than 33 years of experience in the maritime industry, his background combines policy and practical expertise with both theoretical policy development and real-world experience. This includes serving in the United States Coast Guard Reserve and the United States Merchant Marine, holding various shipboard positions, ship management specializing in LNG tanker operations, and providing consultancy to private shipping companies, port facilities and governments around the world on domestic and international regulatory instrument compliance.

Presently serving as President of Northeast Maritime Institute (NMI), Dawicki has developed it into the first private maritime college in the history of the United States, offering Maritime Science degrees and continuing education and comprehensive digital learning programs. This includes the development of innovative online learning simulators, training and certification platforms for mariners on a global scale. NMI also serves as a direct support to entities worldwide through the Center for Ocean Policy and Economics (COPE). In addition, Mr. Dawicki concurrently serves as Co-Founder, President and CEO of the Commonwealth of Dominica Maritime Registry, which has an international network of 28 regional offices and close to 400 vessels, many of which operate across the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Asian and Black Sea.

President Dawicki’s additional accomplishments include membership to the United States National Maritime Security Advisory Committee during the Obama and Bush Administrations and has served as the Lead Delegate to the United Nations' International Maritime Organization representing both the United States and the Commonwealth of Dominica and was both on the Board of Governors and Executive Governor to the UN’s World Maritime University, chairing it’s thirty-year sustainability plan, which is now successfully operating.

Moderator

Hannah Dawicki

Webinar Questions & Answers

Full name

Email

Organization name (N/A if none)

Question for the Panelists

Would you like your question to remain anonymous?

Yes No

Would you like to receive future COPE° communications related to this topic?

Yes No

By checking the box below you agree to:

I agree to respect the privacy of the individuals participating on this platform and to uphold the standards of COPE°.

Publications

Joining the Group

Are you interested in getting involved in this Working Group? Please fill out the following form to begin the application process to request participation.

Participation Interest Form

Full name

Email

Organization name (N/A if none)

Overview of your professional experience

How did you hear about COPE?

Why would you like to participate in this group and what do you hope to bring to discussions?

Additional information (N/A if none)

By checking the box, you agree to:

I agree to respect the privacy of the individuals participating on this platform and to uphold the standards of COPE.