India Launches Initiative to Honor Women in Maritime
MUMBAI: The ‘Rewriting Women into Maritime History’ initiative is set to debut in India during the India Maritime Week (IWM), commencing October 27 in Mumbai. This project, a collaboration between Lloyd’s Register and the Lloyd’s Register Foundation, aims to amplify the voices of women in the shipping industry whose contributions have often gone unrecognized. The initiative will also feature the ‘SHE_SEES’ showcase, highlighting the stories of women in maritime both past and present.
Empowering Women Through Maritime History
The ‘Rewriting Women into Maritime History’ (RWM) initiative seeks to collect and share the untold stories of women who have played significant roles in the maritime sector. Launched initially in 2022, the project focused on the UK and Ireland, and the upcoming India launch is part of a broader plan to expand into nine countries over the next three years. By gathering existing materials from various archives and maritime organizations, RWM aims to bring these women’s narratives into the public eye for the first time.
Sarah Mott, Interpretation Coordinator at the Lloyd’s Register Foundation, emphasized the importance of this initiative in raising awareness about the contributions of women in maritime. The ‘SHE_SEES’ showcase will feature portraits and stories of women currently working in the industry, led by portrait photographer Emilie Sandy. Nicola Good, a member of the RWM editorial board, noted that these stories reflect the achievements of women who have broken barriers, paving the way for future generations to be recognized for their skills rather than their gender.
During the India Maritime Week, the ‘SHE_SEES’ exhibit will have a dedicated space at the NESCO Centre in Mumbai, displaying portraits and stories of women from the UK. Additionally, a pop-up ‘SHE_SEES STUDIO’ will be available to capture the experiences of maritime women attending the event. Louise Sanger, Head of Research at the Lloyd’s Register Foundation, highlighted the initiative’s goal of understanding local contexts and learning from diverse perspectives in the maritime sector.
Addressing Gender Disparity in Maritime
Despite progress, the maritime industry remains predominantly male-dominated. According to the International Maritime Organization WISTA Survey 2024, women constitute only 1% of the active seafaring workforce. Out of 211,750 seafarers employed by 179 organizations surveyed, only 2,223 were women. This stark gender imbalance underscores the need for initiatives like RWM to promote diversity and inclusion within the industry.
Empowering Women in Maritime: Celebrating Progress on International Day for Women in Maritime 2024
Interestingly, India stands out with approximately 7% of its seafarers being women, significantly higher than the global average. Sanger noted that India’s maritime sector is ahead of many countries in terms of gender diversity, particularly at the board level, where 54% of respondents in Indian maritime companies reported female representation. This progress presents an opportunity for the RWM initiative to learn from India’s experiences and further promote women’s involvement in maritime roles.
The ‘SHE_SEES’ exhibition aims to showcase a wide range of maritime positions, from senior leadership to entry-level roles, across various sectors, including shipping, ports, engineering, and cultural heritage. As the initiative unfolds, it aspires to capture the diverse contributions of women in maritime, ultimately reshaping the historical narrative and encouraging more women to enter this vital industry.
