@made-in-89 "I'll kick things off by raising the question of being able to report a griefer in game would be totally useful. Whether on your crew or otherwise."
Actually, you seem to be confusing normal PvP for griefing. Stop.
Sinking other ships to ensure your ship can be left alone, even for a little while, is a valid PvP tactic, it's not griefing... That includes spawn-camping on an enemy ship, to save your resources by forcing the enemy player to scuttle ship... It's just being efficient and resourceful.
PvP, in general, is not griefing... Please don't call it griefing just to further your argument either, that's just being intellectually dishonest... Thank you.
Griefers give people grief through sabotage... Like for instance intentionally sinking your own crews ship, or intentionally bugging out a skeleton fortress event to stop skeletons from spawning, ruining it for everyone... Hopefully now you have a better idea of what a griefer is.
Anyways, i also have a better idea for how to deal with griefers! You're gonna like this one!
Introduce an "Avoid Player" mechanic in the game, and it functions as a list, you can add a griefer, or a person you don't like, generally, on this list, and the matchmaking will never allow you to be put into a team with that player, nor will the matchmaking allow that player to be put in a team with you.
This means, the more the griefer griefs people, the more the griefer ruins the game for itself... Eventually the griefer will be unable to find a team because too many players in their region has that griefer on their "Avoid Player" list.
Forcing this griefer to eventually play the game alone, regardless of their choice of boat/ship size.
This way, players can avoid people they don't like, and griefers have themselves to thank for ruining their own game. :D