Crew Welfare Week 2025: How women are steering the future of maritime

At the 2025 Crew Welfare Week, an illuminating panel moderated by Carleen Lyden Walker, CEO of Morgan Marketing & Communications, brought together some of the most influential voices in the maritime industry to discuss one of its most pressing challenges gender inclusion.

The conversation featured Sanjam Sahi Gupta, Founder, Maritime SheEO, Caroline Jupe, CEO, International Maritime Rescue Federation, Capt. Hari Subramaniam, Regional Head – Business Relations, The Shipowners’ Club, Ourania Syka, WISTA Hellas, and Dr. Michela Terrei, Psychologist, I.M.A. Assessment and Training Center.

A Reality check: Women’s representation at sea

Moderator Carleen Lyden Walker opened with sobering statistics from the IMO–WISTA 2024 Women in Maritime Survey: only 1% of active seafarers are women, and women make up just 19% of the overall maritime workforce. Even more concerning, only 5% of maritime students worldwide are female.

Walker underscored the urgency of these numbers, calling diversity “a necessity for innovation, sustainability, and long-term prosperity.” She also shared a telling anecdote: a young woman who turned down admission to a U.S. maritime academy upon learning that only 9% of its students were female. “If that narrative continues,” Walker warned, “we risk losing bright talent before it even sets sail.”

The power of representation and safe spaces

Sanjam Sahi Gupta, a pioneering voice for gender equality in maritime, recalled her early career in Mumbai when “there was no space for me—I was hiding in a corner.” That experience inspired her to create Maritime SheEO, an initiative that provides mentorship, networking, and leadership development for women in shipping.

Gupta emphasized three keys to women’s success in maritime: networking, working harder to prove oneself, and above all, confidence. She explained that cultural expectations often discourage women from building professional networks—something men have long relied on. “Women go home after work to manage family responsibilities,” she noted, “but networking is part of the job. It’s how opportunities are created.”

Her message was clear: women must stop doubting their place at the table. “We always feel we’re not good enough,” she said. “But we are. We just have to step up.”

Leadership from the deck

Greek captain Ourania Syka offered a frontline perspective from her years commanding oil tankers. “This job demands resilience, expertise, and strong communication skills—regardless of gender,” she said. For her, success depends on problem-solving, adaptability, and leadership.

Syka also noted how technology and automation are changing the dynamics at sea, helping to level the playing field.

There’s no longer a need for physical strength to define competence. Digital navigation and AI tools have made shipboard work more inclusive. 

…she said.

Yet, she acknowledged that the path remains steep. “It’s not easy,” she said, “but it gives you knowledge, discipline, and strength.”

Male allies and cultural change

Capt. Hari Subramaniam – a long-time industry advocate and father of a daughter – spoke passionately about men’s role in advancing equality.

There is a place where men have to make space for women; every man has a role to play. 

..he said.

Subramaniam identified cultural norms as one of the greatest obstacles. “Tradition has made it seem that women belong at home,” he said. “That mindset is outdated. Men must learn to respect women who are better than them—or at least as good.”

He also challenged men to take a stand against objectification and exclusionary behavior in informal settings like bars or “old boys’ clubs.” “If you wouldn’t want your wife or daughter spoken about that way, you shouldn’t tolerate it about others,” he said.

Perhaps most poignantly, Subramaniam reflected on raising his son. “Change begins at home,” he said. “I’m trying to teach my son to be a true gentleman—someone who respects his sister and his mother. That’s where equality starts.”

Confidence, mentorship, and culture

For Caroline Jupe, who leads the International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF), confidence is both a personal and institutional issue. “I walk into conferences where most of the room is male, and sometimes my confidence melts away,” she admitted. “But I remind myself—I have a reason to be here.”

Jupe’s career was shaped by mentorship. “Being mentored by another female CEO gave me the confidence to step into my current role,” she said. Recognizing the power of that experience, IMRF now runs a Women in Search and Rescue mentoring scheme to help women advance in this specialized field.

But mentorship alone isn’t enough. “Organizational culture must support women,” Jupe stressed. She cited improvements in personal protective equipment (PPE) design as a tangible example of progress. “We’re finally seeing kit that fits women properly,” she said. “That may sound small, but it represents inclusion in action.”

Learning, resilience, and stereotypes

Dr. Michela Terrei, psychologist at the Italian Maritime Academy in Manila, approached the discussion from a behavioral science angle. Drawing on Albert Bandura’s social learning theory, she explained that “people learn by observing others.” For women in maritime, the scarcity of visible role models hinders both recruitment and retention.

“Success stories are powerful,” she said. “When young women see a female captain, they begin to believe they can do it too.”

Terrei also highlighted emotional strain as a growing issue. Isolation at sea affects all seafarers, but for women—often the only female onboard—the psychological toll can be greater. “Building emotional resilience and teaching emotional intelligence should be part of training,” she advised.

She outlined three major barriers to women’s advancement:

1. Gender stereotypes—the persistent belief that leadership equals masculinity.
2. Cultural and social norms that reward emotional stoicism and male behavior.
3. Work–family conflict, particularly the challenge of balancing seafaring with motherhood.

“These factors combine to make maritime a difficult career choice for many women,” she concluded, “but none of them are insurmountable.”

The power of visibility

Returning to the theme of representation, Jupe shared a phrase that resonated deeply with the panel: “You can’t be what you can’t see.” This echoes a statement once made by U.S. Congressman Elijah Cummings: “If they can’t see it, they can’t dream it.”

Walker noted that the maritime industry, though essential to global trade, remains largely invisible to the public- and even more so for women. “We must amplify the stories of women like Captain Syka,” she urged. “Visibility creates possibility.”

Women supporting women

The discussion closed on a powerful note about solidarity among women. Subramaniam observed that some women in leadership roles hesitate to support others climbing the ladder – a phenomenon not unique to maritime. Walker responded by quoting former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, herself a Wellesley College alumna: “There’s a special place in hell for women who don’t support other women.”

The sentiment drew nods from across the panel. As Gupta and others agreed, mentorship, inclusion, and compassion must be at the heart of progress.

Women lifting each other up is not optional; it’s essential for systemic change. 

Charting the course ahead

From mentorship programs and inclusive equipment design to psychological resilience training and male allyship, the industry is beginning to turn the tide. As the IMO and WISTA’s data make clear, there is still far to go—but as every panelist affirmed, the journey toward equality is not only just but vital for the industry’s sustainability and innovation.

Maritime, after all, thrives on collaboration. As Carleen Lyden Walker concluded, “Progress, not perfection. But every wave of change begins with one voice—and today, we heard many.”

source : safety4sea