TODAY is the second annual International Day for Women in Maritime, a day to celebrate women in the industry and raise the profile of women in maritime.
The International Maritime Organization began marking the day last year in an effort to promote the recruitment, retention and sustained employment in the maritime industry, and to address the current gender imbalance in maritime.
Jeanine Drummond, who has held senior roles in the industry and is now a consultant and sits on several boards, told DCN the International Day for Women in Maritime provides a platform for greater visibility and awareness of the regional and workplace-specific priorities that will drive action every day of the year.
“Ultimately, I look forward to celebrating the occasion when an ‘International Day for Women in Maritime’ is no longer needed,” she said.
“However, the reality is that gender equality challenges in the maritime industry and across the entire ocean economy are unique to the different geographic locations and workplaces, ashore and on the water, around the world.
“All of us, no matter our gender, have a responsibility to work together to create a modern maritime industry and ocean economy of the future, that is inclusive and representative of the community’s we live.”
The theme of this year’s International Day for Women in Maritime is “mobilising networks for gender equality”, spotlighting the role of network-focused organisations such as the Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association.
WISTA Australia president Monika Lemajic paid tribute to the organisations and communities who inspired an international day to celebrate women in the industry.
“I am so proud that International Day for Women in Maritime is a home-grown event, founded by our sisters in PacWIMA and championed by AMSA to the IMO, which has generated a global movement,” she said.
“It highlights how one idea can change the world. It also highlights how much momentum we have gained as a united collective in changing the world.”
Ms Lemajic estimates the industry is, at this rate, on track to achieve gender equality in about 300 years, but there is optimism.
“We need to change the narrative, and it’s going to take a united front to do that,” she said.
“The level of participation we are seeing for International Day for Women in Maritime, the social media and press coverage and the requests for assistance with changing has been far beyond any of our expectations. It is so exciting!”
Jillian Carson-Jackson, managing director of JCJ consulting and champion of diversity, equity and inclusion in the maritime industry, said International Day for Women in Maritime provides a focus and waypoint to help chart a course for a fully diverse, equitable and accepting industry.
“We are communities of experts, a melting pot of ideas and dreams, yet we may not always welcome diversity and change,” she said.
“As a woman in maritime I so often heard ‘you can’t’, and when less than 2% of seafarers are women, you start to begin to believe that you can’t.
“International Day for Women in Maritime is a way to recognise that ‘we can’, and ‘we do’. We aren’t alone on our push for an equitable and accepting maritime industry.
“This day is a platform to celebrate and encourage, to focus and regroup, to recognise the challenges, acknowledge the past and dream for the future.”
And IMO secretary-general Kitcack Lim said in a statement there is still a significant gender imbalance in maritime.
“Women are working in all facets of the maritime sector across the globe, on shore and at sea to support the transition to a decarbonised, digitalised and more sustainable future for the industry,” he said.
“Let us once again use this opportunity to celebrate the many women who are contributing to the future of maritime: navigators, engineers, surveyors, CEOs, managers, representatives of government and industry, those chairing IMO meetings, and women in every role across the industry.”
