Asbestos exposure on Gulf of Mexico offshore vessels: Jones Act claims for seamen

Workers depart from these ports on vessels constructed during an era when asbestos was commonly used in marine insulation, gaskets, and fireproofing materials.

Maritime workers spend 24 hours a day aboard vessels rather than leaving when their shift ends, keeping them in continuous contact with asbestos-containing materials. Traditional occupational exposure limits were designed for eight-hour workdays and don't account for people who live and work in the same confined below-deck spaces where asbestos insulation covers pipes, boilers, and equipment.

Research combining multiple studies found that sailors aboard ships were more than twice as likely to die from mesothelioma as people in the general population, with a standardized mortality ratio of roughly 2.11. The elevated risk reflects how maritime workers can't avoid exposure during their time off because they live where they work.

Radiological evidence documents widespread lung damage

Multiple studies of retired merchant mariners reveal substantial rates of pleural abnormalities and lung changes consistent with asbestos exposure. In a U.S. study examining 3,324 Merchant Marine seamen, approximately 35 percent showed lung abnormalities suggestive of prior toxic exposure. An older U.S. occupational study reported that 35 to 40 percent of seamen displayed parenchymal or pleural changes on chest X-rays, with abnormalities increasing proportionally to years spent in marine work.

Research conducted on Greek mariners found that 41 percent of former seafarers had radiologic evidence of asbestos-related lung disease, with pleural lesions appearing significantly more frequently among those with longer maritime employment histories. These findings demonstrate that decades aboard vessels expose substantial portions of maritime workforces to asbestos fibers that cause permanent lung tissue damage detectable long after exposure ends.

Asbestos degradation in marine operating conditions

Asbestos materials aboard vessels degrade continuously from motion, vibration, heat cycles, and saltwater corrosion inherent to Gulf of Mexico operations. When asbestos gets disturbed, tiny fibers float through the air in engine rooms, machinery areas, and crew quarters that lack proper ventilation. While industrial workers can exit contaminated zones, maritime personnel remain trapped in these spaces during their rotations, inhaling the fibers continuously whether they're working or sleeping.

Vessels constructed before asbestos regulations tightened in the late 1970s and early 1980s continue operating in Gulf waters decades later. Crew members working on engine maintenance, changing worn gaskets, repairing insulation on steam lines, or overhauling equipment end up disturbing asbestos that was put in during the ship's construction. Port of South Louisiana, ranking among the top three U.S. ports by volume, serves as a transit hub for these older vessels still carrying extensive asbestos components.

Mesothelioma cases in long-service maritime workers

Epidemiologic research documents mesothelioma cases among seamen and ship engineers with service histories spanning 25 to 35 years aboard commercial vessels. These cases reinforce the biological connection between sustained shipboard asbestos contact and rare cancers that manifest after latency periods of 20 to 50 years. The highest risk falls on workers whose careers involved maintaining equipment, working down in engine rooms, or handling insulation around pipes because these duties meant regular direct exposure to asbestos.

The Louisiana Offshore Oil Port, handling approximately 13 percent of U.S. imported oil through deepwater tanker operations, requires tugboats and support vessels that were constructed during peak asbestos use in the marine industries. Crew members aboard these vessels accumulated exposure over decades of rotations between LOOP and coastal facilities before disease symptoms appeared.

Asbestos-related diseases qualifying for compensation

Maritime workers who have asbestos-related disease diagnoses might be eligible for Jones Act compensation. You may qualify if the diagnosis occurred within the last three years. Conditions linked to asbestos include:

• Mesothelioma
• Lung cancer
• Throat cancers (laryngeal, pharyngeal, esophageal)
• Colon and rectal cancer

To pursue Jones Act claims, workers must document their time aboard vessels containing asbestos, the extent of their exposure, such as long careers in engine rooms or maintenance roles, and medical diagnoses related to asbestos contact. Studies show seamen with such backgrounds face a higher disease risk than most people.

Demonstrating vessel-based employment

Workers must show they spent substantial time performing duties aboard vessels in navigation rather than shore-based roles. This includes engineers maintaining propulsion and auxiliary systems, deckhands working below deck on machinery or cargo operations, and crew members on supply boats servicing Gulf platforms. Port Fourchon moves around 400 offshore supply vessels daily and sends roughly 15,000 workers to offshore assignments each month, creating the maritime work environment where vessel operations take place.

ELG Law represents Gulf maritime workers

If you developed mesothelioma, lung cancer, or other asbestos-related illness after working aboard vessels servicing Gulf of Mexico platforms, you may be entitled to compensation under the Jones Act. The Environmental Litigation Group has represented toxic exposure victims for over 35 years. Contact us today for more information about filing a Jones Act claim.