Seafaring is widely regarded to be a man’s job. Currently, women represent just a little over 1% of the maritime industry’s workforce. This figure seems small, but it’s already a huge improvement from the past years. However, this is a sign that the industry is actively making an effort to keep up with the times and ensure better representation for women in crewing.
Historically, women were generally not welcome to take up seafaring as a career. In more recent years, however, the number of women working on the seas has increased. This is due to the growing number of opportunities for women in the maritime industry.
The challenges of being a woman seafarer
Many challenges come with being a woman seafarer, which is something that crew management needs to address properly. One of the biggest challenges is the lack of female-friendly facilities aboard ships. This can make it difficult for women to feel comfortable and safe aboard.
Additionally, women seafarers often face discrimination and sexual harassment from their male colleagues. This can make it difficult to advance in one’s career and can also create a hostile working environment. It can also make it difficult for women to feel safe and respected while working at sea.
Why the maritime industry needs women
The maritime industry is vital to the global economy. As such, ship management needs women to help fill the workforce gap and to bring new perspectives and ideas to the table. There are many reasons why the maritime industry needs women, some of which you’ll see below.
Growth potential
Women are underrepresented in the maritime industry and crew agency options, which means that there is considerable growth potential. Many vessels are understaffed, and being open to hiring more women can address the staff shortage. In the future, the maritime industry can grow by leaps and bounds as more women with a variety of skills and educational and professional backgrounds join its ranks.
Additionally, research has shown that businesses that have women in leadership positions perform better than their more male-dominated counterparts. Countries with better gender equality also tend to be better off economically. Thus, having more women onboard can ultimately benefit the maritime industry.
Cultural shift
Women can change the culture of the maritime industry, which has been male-dominated for far too long. Discrimination against women is rampant in this industry and many others, but things are improving, albeit slowly.
For the maritime industry to grow, it needs more women. Of course, it won’t happen overnight and progress will be gradual. A good place to start, however, is simply hiring more women. By having more women onboard, the industry will be less male-dominated. This will attract more women to sign up, which will in turn lead to a cultural shift that can reduce the discrimination and harassment women face.
Skills
Women have the skills and abilities to contribute to the maritime industry in a significant way. They can offer new perspectives and ways of doing things that can improve the way the industry operates. Additionally, with the current shortage in personnel, hiring more women with the necessary skills can reduce the strain on understaffed crews.
There’s also a misconception that women aren’t fit for male-dominated industries because these industries require physical strength and mechanical knowledge that women lack. However, many women are capable of and willing to do physically challenging work, and they’re also just as capable of learning and mastering mechanical and technical skills.
