Who is behind Unspoken?
Unspoken is a project backed by the All Aboard Alliance, a coalition of over 30 leading companies from across the global maritime value chain dedicated to improving lives at sea by putting people at the heart of every voyage.
The All Aboard Alliance
The All Aboard Alliance brings together leading maritime companies committed to improving lives at sea. By working collectively across the value chain, the Alliance seeks to strengthen working conditions, advance health and well-being, foster inclusion, and support sustainable career pathways in global shipping.
Across these areas, the Alliance has a 2030 ambition of tracking annual progress and building transparency, showcasing what good looks like by defining better standards for living and working at sea, and aligning financial incentives towards industry adoption of those standards.
The Alliance is spearheaded by the Global Maritime Forum, a not-for-profit that brings together leading organisations from across the maritime value chain to advance shipping decarbonisation and improve life at sea.
What makes the All Aboard Alliance qualified to handle this sensitive project?
Since 2022, the All Aboard Alliance has been working to improve life at sea by bringing together senior leaders, HR professionals, and subject matter experts from across the maritime industry.
One of its most significant initiatives is the Diversity@Sea pilot project, which tested solutions to improve working and living conditions on 12 vessels. A key outcome of this work was the Sustainable Crewing Guidelines, developed to support companies in creating more inclusive, transparent, and supportive onboard environments.
In 2025, the Alliance also published a report, Pregnancy at sea, highlighting the challenges faced by expectant and new mothers and introducing a framework to help companies design a safer and more supportive pregnancy journey.
Now, as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen global standards, the Alliance is developing a standardised industry approach to understanding, identifying, preventing, and responding to sexual misconduct at sea.
The stories shared through Unspoken will inform this work by grounding the framework in lived experience. By translating these insights into practical guidance, we aim to support maritime companies in taking more effective, consistent action, ultimately making life at sea safer for everyone.
Meet the team
Learn more about the people behind Unspoken who will be handling your stories with care.
Harpa Hrönn Stefánsdóttir
Harpa is at the forefront of various All Aboard Alliance workstreams, including Unspoken. In 2025, she oversaw the delivery of both the Sustainable Crewing Guidelines, first-of-a-kind recommendations to safeguard seafarer well-being, as well as the Pregnancy at Sea report. Harpa brings a sense of compassion and fairness to her extensive experience working with both seafarers and maritime organisations to improve life at sea.
Hana Nguyenová
Hana manages the Unspoken website and works on initiatives to improve the lived experiences of seafarers. She helped shape the All Aboard Alliance’s 2030 strategy and led the research behind the Pregnancy at Sea report. Hana brings a strong understanding of the sensitive and vulnerable nature involved in discussing experiences of sexual misconduct and violence. She approaches this work with empathy, humility, and a commitment to making the maritime industry safer for everyone.
Susanne Justesen
Susanne leads the Global Maritime Forum’s human sustainability programme, which aims to develop impactful and ambitious global standards for the safety, health, inclusion, and well-being of everyone working in or impacted by maritime supply chains. By working closely with industry leaders across the value chain, the programme aims to drive significant change to living and working conditions at sea before 2030.
Jemma Wandel
Jemma is the communications manager responsible for planning and executing content for the Global Maritime Forum's programmes and initiatives, covering everything from social media to newsletters and videos. She brings experience in handling sensitive narratives with care and respect and is leading the communications related to Unspoken.
Our expert panel
Our expert panel helps ensure this project is guided by experience and focused on what works in practice.
Our partners
Unspoken is a collaborative effort supported by organisations across the maritime community committed to improving safety at sea.
This first phase has been made possible through a grant from The Seafarers’ Charity. SAFETY4SEA supports the project as a media partner, helping share the initiative with the wider industry. Additional partners contribute expertise, safeguarding guidance, and sector knowledge throughout the project. We are grateful for their support as this work continues to develop.
The Seafarers´ Charity
The Seafarers’ Charity is a UK-based grant-making charity that supports projects and organisations working to improve the safety, well-being, and quality of life of seafarers and their families worldwide.
SAFETY4SEA
SAFETY4SEA is a leading sustainable shipping media and knowledge platform. For more than 15 years, it has delivered trusted industry insights through its website safety4sea.com, surveys, email communications, video, and social media. It also publishes the SAFETY4SEA Log and SEAFiT magazines and tailored publications, distributing approximately 100,000 copies annually on board and ashore. SAFETY4SEA also organises the Crew Welfare Week Forums & Awards and the SAFETY4SEA, GREEN4SEA, SMART4SEA & CAREER4SEA Forums & Awards worldwide.
Mission to Seafarers
The Mission to Seafarers is an international maritime welfare charity providing practical, emotional, and spiritual support to merchant seafarers through a global network of port centres, chaplains, and volunteers.
Safer Waves
Safer Waves is a charity supporting merchant seafarers who have experienced sexual harassment, assault, or gender-based violence, providing confidential, survivor-led support and guidance.
ISWAN
ISWAN is a global maritime charity dedicated to improving the lives of seafarers and their families through helplines, welfare programmes, and industry collaboration.
Sailors' Society
Sailors’ Society is here for seafarers and their families 24/7. A global maritime welfare charity with an easily accessible helpline, crisis and trauma support, as well as confidential peer-to-peer support groups. Support is available wherever and whenever it is needed, even out at sea, and lasts as long as the need is there.
TURTLE
TURTLE is the leading marketplace for fair, diverse, and transparent recruitment in the maritime sector, connecting seafarers and shipping companies, and ensuring compliance with the MLC 2006. It enables data-driven, traceable recruitment.
Women in Fisheries
UK Women in Fisheries is a network for all women who work in UK fishing, including those in the catching sector, vessel owners, fleet managers, fishmongers, processors, fishing conservationists, charity workers, trainers, and partners of commercial fishermen. WIF supports women through networking, mentoring, events and training.