The Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association UK (WISTA UK), Trinity House, and the Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF) hosted a well-attended panel discussion at Trinity House for Women in Maritime Day, emphasising the essential role of allyship. The evening focused on the strategies needed to promote gender diversity in the maritime sector.
The panel highlighted the need for measures and company policies that encourage women to advocate for themselves, establish their own boundaries and secure equal opportunities alongside their male counterparts.
Women make up only an estimated 2% of the world’s maritime crewing workforce1. Chair Sue Terpilowski shared data published by WISTA International and the IMO’s first survey on the number of women working in the maritime industry. It revealed that ‘women account for only 29% of the overall workforce in the general industry and only 20% of the workforce of national maritime authorities in member states.’
Keynote speaker Natalie Gull, Trinity House’s Director of People and Culture, highlighted the challenges and opportunities for women in the maritime industry. She recounted some of her experiences, and shared with the audience the efforts being made by Trinity House to establish and foster an approach to equality, diversity, inclusion and belonging that enables the organisation to truly benefit from diversity of thought.
An exciting panel discussion followed, which focused on allyship (the actions, behaviours and practices to support, amplify and advocate for others) and its use as a critical strategy to address and overcome these challenges. It highlighted partnering with industry leaders and mentors, fostering networking opportunities and supporting individuals to build trust and stand up for themselves. The discussion also called for further advocacy for fair treatment for all and safe working environments, ensuring that all women’s voices are heard and respected.
Company culture and values are important in enabling women to progress from mid-level to more senior levels of management and ensuring that entrenched cultural and traditional biases are challenged.
Attendees also raised the issue of attracting and retaining female talent, calling on the maritime sector to enhance its visibility to the younger generation by growing its presence on social media. The event concluded with a call to action to increase visibility, prioritise allyship, foster a culture of inclusion and actively work towards gender diversity within the maritime sector.
