Unlocking Growth for the Maritime Industry: Are Women the Missing Piece?

Gender diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the maritime industry have gained significant attention in recent years. Traditionally dominated by men, the industry is now seeing notable advancements in incorporating more women into its workforce, particularly as seafarers.

As per the last available data from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in 2021, there are approximately 24,059 women out of a total of 1.89 million seafaring workers, up from around 19,000 in 2015. Women therefore represent about 2-3% of the global seafarer workforce. While this figure marks a considerable increase from previous decades, it is still relatively low.

It is just a beginning and a lot more needs to be done to close the gender equality gap that still persists in the maritime industry.

A significant portion of women seafarers are employed in the cruise sector, where they represent about 18-20% of the workforce. However, their presence in cargo shipping, tanker operations, and other traditional maritime sectors remains limited. Women in the cruise industry are often found in operational and hospitality roles, but there is a growing number in technical and officer positions.

Another rather concerning impact of gender inequality is seen in the levels of seniority. More than 76% of the female workforce occupies administrative, junior, and professional roles, with only a few progressing to managerial positions or higher and just 0.17% of them holding executive leadership team positions.

In an industry where women in leadership roles are rare, Marshal Ship Management takes great pride in having a woman leader at its helm.
Crewing Director – Marshal Ship Management, reflects upon her own journey and the challenges women face in the maritime industry:

‘Building Marshal Ship Management as a company and as a team has been a labour of love and it has taken countless nights and days over the past eight years to make it into the international brand it is today. However, this journey has had its challenges, many of which are unique to women in leadership roles within our industry. Despite societal progress, biases and stereotypes still persist, particularly in male-dominated fields like shipping. There have been times when I have had to overcome judgment and criticism, often battling stereotypes that label success as ‘favoritism’ rather than seeing it for personal merit, diligence and resilience that it takes to accomplish.’

Despite positive developments, women seafarers continue to face several challenges:

Cultural and Institutional Barriers:

Traditional gender roles and stereotypes often impede women’s entry and career advancement in the industry.

• Proving competence: Constantly having to prove capabilities vis-à-vis male counterparts.
• Balancing perceptions: Navigating the fine line between being assertive and being perceived as overly aggressive.
• Sacrifices: Making personal sacrifices to meet the demands of professional roles and

Work-Life Balance:

The demanding nature of seafaring, with long periods away from home, presents challenges for women, particularly those with family responsibilities.

Safety and Harassment:

Safety concerns, harassment and discrimination, both at sea and onshore, remain significant issues that the industry is striving to address. In a survey conducted by WISTA involving 1,128 female seafarers from 78 countries, nearly 60% reported experiencing gender-based discrimination in the workplace, and 25% indicated that physical and sexual harassment are prevalent.

Lack of Visibility and Role Models:

The scarcity of female role models in leadership positions within the industry can discourage aspiring women from pursuing maritime careers.

Limited Awareness:

Most women will not even consider seafaring as a viable career option in the absence of family members in the industry or personal connections to maritime professionals.

By encouraging women to pursue maritime careers, the industry can benefit from a broader talent pool, driving progress and competitiveness in a global market.

Though in nascent stages, several initiatives and programmes have been launched to promote gender diversity in the maritime industry, including:

1. The IMO’s Integration of Women in Maritime Programme: Aims to address gender imbalance by encouraging women’s participation in both shore-based and sea-going roles. Its primary objective is to provide women maritime officials access to advanced technical training.
2. The International Transport Workers’ Federation has developed a code of conduct to eliminate harassment and bullying on board ships.
3. WISTA: This global organization has been supporting women in maritime, trading, and logistics sectors through networking, education, and mentoring.
4. The Maritime SheEO Leadership Accelerator Programme: Focuses on empowering women in maritime through leadership training, mentorship, and advocacy.
5. Shipping companies are now employing proactive measures to counter issues onboard related to harassment and assault by deploying female employees on ships in groups of three to four, ensuring no woman is alone at sea.

“Prioritize diversity not just as a checkbox, but as a fundamental driver of innovation and success both in your daily business but also with the green transition.”- says Tanja Dalgaard, Chief Strategy & Operations Officer, Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping.

This truly captures the essence of what the need of the hour is. What is required is a shift in perspective and it must become top priority for industry stakeholders – at the regional, national as well as international levels – for the change to happen.

This is succinctly put by Stephen Cotton, general secretary of International Transport Workers’ Federation, who says that “The whole of the supply chain needs to look at itself to become a more inclusive culture for women.”

The maritime sector has seen progress, but significant work remains. While women have entered all maritime subsectors, they are still predominantly in support roles and rarely hold core or management positions in male-dominated areas.

While major industry players like Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd are setting ambitious goals around gender equality, the future outlook for women seafarers is cautiously optimistic. Increasing recognition of the value of gender diversity by industry stakeholders, including governments, shipping companies, and maritime organizations, will be required to drive positive change. Investment in education, generating increased awareness, training and mentorship programmes will be key in leading to higher participation rates of women in seafaring roles.

In conclusion, although the current representation of women seafarers is still low, ongoing efforts and initiatives are paving the way for a more inclusive and equitable maritime industry. The progress, while gradual, points towards a future with greater gender diversity and inclusion.

At Marshal, we see it as our responsibility to proactively contribute to the maritime sector in a way that is both inclusive and inviting, where the active participation of women is not merely encouraged but celebrated.

We’re committed to actively tackling the challenges the industry is facing vis-à-vis recruiting women and recognizing that employing and empowering female seafarers is not just about equality, but also that it is critical for the industry’s growth and long-term success.