Women in Maritime: Breaking In, Moving Up and Changing the Culture
Around two percent of the seafaring workforce, and a picture changing faster than most people realise.
Women represent approximately 2% of the global seafaring workforce and remain underrepresented across many maritime shoreside roles too. But this is changing — and faster than many realize. Here's what women entering or advancing in the maritime industry need to know.
The Landscape Is Shifting
Major maritime organizations, flag states, and global shipping companies are actively investing in gender diversity:
- IMO's Women in Maritime program advocates globally
- Initiatives like WISTA (Women's International Shipping and Trading Association) operate in 50+ countries
- Companies like Maersk, Stena, and Höegh publicly report gender diversity metrics
This creates real opportunity — especially for women with the right technical or commercial credentials.
Where Women Are Making the Strongest Inroads
- Maritime law and insurance — historically welcoming sectors
- Port authority and maritime administration
- HSQE and compliance roles
- Commercial shipping (chartering, operations, freight)