U.S. Navy Begins Installation of Cameras Aboard Ships to Combat Sexual Assaults

Apr 3

Written By Maritime Legal Solutions, PLLC

April 3, 2025

In a sweeping move aimed at curbing sexual assault at sea, the U.S. Navy is rolling out surveillance cameras across its Military Sealift Command (MSC) fleet. The initiative was laid out in Memo 191.1 Safer Seas Act Implementation, issued by Military Sealift Command on March 27, 2025. Mandated under the federal Safer Seas Act, the new initiative will see the Navy install video and audio monitoring systems in passageways outside crew staterooms—a step the Navy says is vital to protecting both civilian mariners and active-duty Navy sailors who work and live aboard the approximately 125 MSC ships owned and operated by the U.S. Navy.

High-Profile Institutional Failures Led to Reform

The road to this groundbreaking safety initiative began in September of 2021 when a U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) cadet known as Midshipman-X (later publicly identified as Hope Hicks) reported being raped by her supervisor aboard a Maersk ship during her “Sea Year” assignment at the Academy. Hope’s case sparked widespread global outrage and led to the introduction of the Safer Seas Act, which was signed into law by President Joe Biden in December of 2022. Maritime Attorney Ryan Melogy of Justice4Mariners is credited as one of the driving forces behind the Safer Seas Act’s passage due to his years of relentless advocacy and his influential policy paper on 46 USC 10104 that shocked legislators into action. Melogy also eventually represented Hope Hicks in her groundbreaking civil lawsuit against Maersk.

While the Safer Seas Act specifically exempted public vessels from its mandate, the pressure on the Navy to voluntarily comply with the Act intensified with the case of Elsie E. Dominguez, another USMMA graduate, who was serving as 1st Assistant Engineer aboard the USNS Carson City in 2021 when she alleges she was raped by the ship’s captain. According to her lawsuit, the captain of the Carson City used his master key to access Dominguez’s stateroom while she was unconscious, and the ship's passageway security cameras—which should have captured him entering—had not been operational for over a year. Maritime Attorney Ryan Melogy of Justice4Mariners also represents Elsie Dominguez.

In her lawsuit against the Navy, Dominguez reported facing retaliation, threats to her employment, and barriers to reporting the assault. Her attorney, Ryan Melogy, said the case highlights a systemic failure. "The United States owes a duty to protect crewmembers aboard its vessels, and it is failing to live up to that duty,” Melogy said.

Why MSC Vessels and Not Other Navy Ships?

The Navy’s new surveillance mandate applies only to vessels operated by the U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command, because MSC ships operate under commercial maritime standards and are subject to U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) oversight, unlike other U.S. Navy warships.

This distinction is grounded in a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between MSC and the Coast Guard that is updated every two years. Under this MOA, the USCG agrees to inspect and certificate designated MSC vessels provided they "substantially comply with commercial standards." Under the MOA, MSC vessels receive Certificates of Inspection (COI) from the Coast Guard and are thus required to meet many of the same federal safety, reporting, and equipment requirements as civilian commercial ships.

In contrast, U.S. Navy warships do not fall under Coast Guard jurisdiction and are exempt from the civilian inspection and certification process. As a result, the surveillance requirements mandated by the Safer Seas Act, which were incorporated into Coast Guard regulations, apply only to vessels like MSC's United States Naval Ships (USNS) that are staffed by civilian mariners (CIVMARs) and operate in a support role to the Navy. Thus far, the Navy has not made any announcement to extend the Safer Sea Act protections to the rest of its fleet of vessels.

Background: The Safer Seas Act

Passed as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2023, the Safer Seas Act is a sweeping legislative response to mounting reports of sexual harassment and sexual assault aboard commercial and government-operated vessels. The Act imposes new safety standards, equipment mandates, and reporting obligations across the maritime industry. Among the provisions are:

Mandatory reporting of sexual assault and harassment to the U.S. Coast Guard (46 U.S.C. § 10104);
Mandatory revocation of Merchant Mariner Credentials for proven sexual assault; (46 U.S.C. § 7704a(b))';
The installation of master key control systems (46 U.S.C. § 3106);
Enhanced crew awareness through onboard placards and crew training (46 U.S.C. § 11101);
And notably, the installation of video and audio surveillance equipment (46 U.S.C. § 4901).

Camera Surveillance Requirements

The statute requires that cameras be installed in passageways where staterooms open, ensuring visibility of every door. As the Navy’s Memo 191.1 Safer Seas Act Implementation lays out, the Safer Seas Act requires that surveillance systems be installed:

“Not later than two years after enactment of the Don Young Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2022, or during the next scheduled drydock, whichever is later.”

Since the Don Young Act was enacted on December 23, 2022, this sets the initial deadline for compliance at December 23, 2024. However, the clause “whichever is later” means ships with drydock dates after that deadline can defer installation.

MSC has submitted Technical Alteration (TRANSALT) requests for each class of ship, with all such projects titled under the umbrella "USCG Requirement: Safer Seas."

Implementation Status and Technical Delays

Despite the legal deadline, Memo 191.1 states:

“Efforts for T-ALT design, procurement, and installation are ongoing.”

In other words, as of late March 2025, not all MSC ships have the systems installed. Further complicating the timeline, Memo 191.1 includes references to a "Stay of Enforcement" request. Attachments 6 and 7 (referenced in the memo but not included in the main body) detail correspondence between MSC and the U.S. Coast Guard concerning delays and compliance challenges. The Memo states that these attachments are also available in the Safety Management System (SMS) External Documents Library to senior MSC officers.

The existence of this correspondence strongly suggests MSC may be struggling to meet the installation deadlines on some vessels, possibly due to procurement delays, technical challenges in retrofitting older ships, limited drydock availability, or the resistance of Navy and MSC leadership to implement the changes across the fleet.

Privacy and Policy Considerations

The placement of cameras in stateroom-adjacent passageways raises valid concerns over privacy. However, Memo 191.1 clarifies that the systems will be located only in passageways and not inside staterooms themselves. This configuration aims to maintain mariner privacy while providing crucial evidence should a SASH incident be reported.

Additionally, 46 U.S.C. § 11101 mandates that placards in each crew berthing area include details such as:

Company policies on sexual assault and harassment;
Reporting procedures and contact resources;
Retention periods for surveillance footage following a reported incident.

However, Memo 191.1 notes:

“Currently, the placard does not contain retention period for surveillance video recording due to lack of video and audio surveillance. Once these systems have been installed, the placard will be updated to include this information as required.”

This omission underscores the still-incomplete implementation process.

Enhanced Reporting and Accountability Measures

In addition to surveillance, MSC is taking further steps to fulfill Safer Seas Act mandates. These include:

A Master Key Control policy (SMS Procedure 2.1-029-ALL) ensuring only authorized personnel have access to staterooms, with all key usage logged.
A new Quality Management System (QMS) procedure under development by MSC Legal (N00L) to standardize incident reporting to the Coast Guard.
Designation of MSC Legal as the responsible entity for ensuring reports of SASH incidents involving credentialed civil service mariners are promptly submitted to USCG investigators.

SASH reports can be submitted anonymously through various channels, including to the U.S. Coast Guard via the CGIS Tips app, by emailing (CGISTIPS@uscg.mil), or by calling a 24/7 phone line at +1 (202)-371-2100.

Culture Shift and Zero Tolerance

Memo 191.1 closes with a strongly worded reaffirmation of MSC’s policy:

"MSC HAS A 'ZERO TOLERANCE' POLICY FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT AND SEXUAL HARASSMENT. IT IS EACH AND EVERY SAILOR'S AND CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE'S RESPONSIBILITY TO ADHERE TO THIS POLICY AND DO HIS OR HER PART TO ELIMINATE THIS CRIME WITHIN OUR ORGANIZATION WITHOUT FEAR OF RETALIATION."

This language, combined with the physical changes underway, signals a cultural shift that aims to make shipboard environments safer and more transparent.

Challenges Ahead

Despite the progress, full implementation remains uncertain. The reliance on drydock schedules and the existence of an enforcement delay request raise legitimate concerns. Some mariners and advocates worry that without firm deadlines and public accountability, the reforms could stall.

"What happened to Hope and Elsie should never happen to anyone at sea again,” said Maritime Attorney Ryan Melogy. “These reforms are not just about cameras—they're about accountability, and ensuring the U.S. government does not abandon the mariners who serve it."

Justice4Mariners will continue monitoring the installation progress and publish updates as more information becomes available, especially regarding the Coast Guard's response to MSC's Stay of Enforcement request.

For mariners currently serving aboard MSC vessels, it is essential to remain informed, engaged, and proactive in using the reporting tools available.

Justice4Mariners is a maritime injury and abuse law firm representing seafarers in cases involving onboard injuries and accidents, sexual assault, harassment, whistle-blowing, and unsafe working. If you believe you have a case involving assault, abuse, or injury at sea, contact Justice4Mariners for a free and confidential consultation. Follow us on X.com and Instagram for breaking updates, legal resources, and trusted advocacy & thought leadership at sea.

Maritime Legal Solutions, PLLC