(NEWS) WMU Furthers Corruption Awareness Education

August

2018

WMU Furthers Corruption Awareness Education

Corruption has detrimental effects on the efficiency and reputation of the maritime industry and WMU is committed to anti-corruption education. From 9-10 August, the 3rd Annual Maritime Business Integrity and Corruption Awareness (CORA) Seminar was held at WMU.

According to the World Bank, businesses and individuals pay an estimated $1.5 trillion in maritime-related bribes each year. Corruption may include facilitation payments, abuse of power, specious ship inspections, unfair sanctions, trade disruption, and extortion. Reforms such as the reduction of discretion in the inspection of ship holds and tanks, establishment of a system of cross-checks, an escalation process for handling disputes, and creation of an e-governance system are some of the measures that can curb maritime-related bribery and extortion.

During the 2018 CORA Seminar, WMU students worked through challenging, real-life scenarios that required moderation of conflicting interests and that tested human judgment and values. Resulting debates inevitably addressed cultural themes and social injustice.

It was noted that while corruption needs to be tackled at all levels, large corporations can play a key role. “Corporate Social Responsibility gives companies the framework to work with mitigating corruption,” said Dr Lisa Loloma Froholdt, Director of Research and Development, Copenhagen School of Marine Engineering and Technology Management, one of the invited experts at the CORA Seminar’s round-table discussion panel. Dr Froholdt emphasised the need to gather data on this issue to measure the impacts of actions against corruption.

The CORA Seminar was conducted by Dr Aref Fakhry, WMU Associate Professor, with the support of the Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN). It was based on four years of anti-corruption work originally launched as a partnership with the A.P. Moller Support Fund and Maersk Line.

“To substantially reduce corruption and bribery in all their forms” is one of the targets of UN Sustainable Development Goal 16, which calls for promoting just, peaceful and inclusive societies. WMU encourages a zero tolerance policy for corruption and promotes anti-corruption awareness in the maritime industry through teaching, research, outreach and industry engagement. WMU recently announced a Call for Papers for a special issue of the WMU Journal of Maritime Affairs (JoMA) entitled “Maritime Industry: Addressing Corruption”.

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