Women Onboard

WISTA International & Maritime SheEO Collaboration

As part of the continuing drive for gender equality in the maritime world, WISTA International’s latest collaboration is with Maritime SheEO under the SHE of Change Campaign to drive gender equality initiatives in the maritime industry. In celebration of International Women’s Day 2021 WISTA co-hosted a number of short video sessions, highlighting the role of female seafarers getting the perspective of how COVID 19 impacted them as well as views from the young women who will be the future of this sector. These informative recordings are moderated by Sanjam Gupta, WISTA International ExCo Member and Maritime SheEO Founder based in Mumbai, India.

International Women’s Day 2021 Playlist

Valeria Sorrenti – Uruguay

Jeanine Drummond – Australia

Iro Gidakou – Cyprus

Pooja Parihar – India

Lindsay M Price – USA

Fatouma Ali Amed – Djibouti

Eleni Lykofridi – Greece

Luciana Suman Jardim – Brazil

Mara Colleen Ramasola – Philippines

Amalia Emmanuel – Trinidad & Tobago

Amreen Bano – India

Linda Mabuh Mutoh – Cameroon

Lovely May D. Oytas – Philippines

Camilla Vambeseth – Norway

Why did you join this profession?

The dream of this profession started at a young age. In the 5th grade me and my school class got invited to visit one of Norway’s Coast Guard vessels. It was after this meeting and tour i fell in love with the dream of becoming a seafarer. My grandfather was also a captain in the world trade, but he is retired now. So, maybe it’s was in my DNA as well.

My mom was back then and have always been extremely supportive of my dream and education. Even she also knew this profession is male-dominated and I would have my challenges on my way. She has always been there when I needed someone to lean on. My mom had a boyfriend when I grew up. When he learned about my interest for the sea he brought me on all kind of passenger vessels and made sure in advance that we were allowed to come up on the bridge and talk with the bridge team on duty. So he sort of “fed” my curiosity and interest about the seafarers life.

In the position I am now and the profession I chosen I have to constantly adapt to the market and the world’s situation. I will meet new challenges and new people, together we’ll have to come up with solutions to a challenge together.

What do you love the most?

I get to work in an international company where i get to meet new people and see new places all over the world. We contribute to deliver products all over the world that the people, industry and market need.

I get to work in an environment where the pressure is high and stressful from time to time. I believe that makes me a better officer and it is constantly challenging how I think and how resolve issues. It’s constantly challenging my knowledge to be as good as it has to to be so its able to follow and understand the marked and the industry.

I love being part of a crew or team. But even I work in a team I also work independently at my part of the job to make the team work. The strength of the team is each member. The strength of the member is the team.

Your take on crew change crisis; will it dissuade younger talent from taking up this career?

The world’s situation is challenging, no doubt about it. I can also understand that the crew change crisis we seafarers are facing can be terrifying. But it’s important to remember that this situation and crisis is not permanent. The crew change situation is constantly worked on to resolve, and it has already gotten much better than how it was before.

Any message / advice for youngsters joining ?

If this is something you dream about, pursue it. A profession at sea can be so enlightening. Just remember that when times get tough, do your best, study harder, learn and work for it. Because I promise you in the end, it will be worth it.

As a trainee or cadet, take all the opportunities you get to learn!

Also by being a seafarer you don’t only learn about the profession or industry. You learn a lot about yourself as well. You’re far away from home so you learn how to deal with that, situations that may come up and/or issuers/happenings at home. From time to time it can be hard. But don’t quit. In the end you will be stronger and learned so much!

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Impact of COVID-19 on women in maritime

First edition (2020) of WISTA International’s report, prepared by the Diversity Committee, on the impact of COVID-19 on women in maritime can be found here:

 Monitoring COVID-19 impact on women in shipping 

Gender Diversity Manual

Click the image below or here to download the Gender Diversity Manual – produced in conjunction with Anglo-Eastern and ISWAN .

1st Edition

2nd Edition