APL Maritime, a US subsidiary of French containership major CMA CGM, has settled a sexual harassment lawsuit which was led in front of the United States District Court of the Northern District of California.
In the lawsuit, a married couple sought compensation for the husband suffering sexual harassment in the workplace. The man, identified as Quentin Brown, was sexually harassed during his time as an employee of APL Maritime, CMA CGM’s US subsidiary, on board the 2015-built vessel CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin.
The settlement between the French major, its US subsidiary and the couple was settled secretly with no financial details revealed.
Brown and his wife, Fahmi Rahmani, initially sued CMA CGM and APL Maritime in US court on September 25, 2024. At the time of the lawsuit, the French firm stated that harassment was not tolerated.
Earlier that same month, a seafarer sued CMA CGM over violence and sexual harassment committed by a former chief engineer on the 2002-built APL Gulf Express.