The conclusion, following one of the most far-reaching inquiries into the shipping industry, was quite unequivocal in its summation of gender imbalance: “There should be greater opportunities for women at sea.”, says an article published available in BIMCO’s website.
Little Change in 50 Years
That was the Rochdale Report into the British shipping industry, which was published in 1970, when it was revealed that the UK merchant marine – then the biggest in the world – employed only one female marine engineer and no deck officers, with women almost wholly confined to employment on passenger ships.
Scroll forward 50 years, with the Secretary General of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) speaking on the “Day of the Seafarer” last June, on the theme “I am on board with gender equality.”
He revealed that only 2% of the world’s 1.2m seafarers were women, and of this modest percentage, 94% were employed in the cruise sector. It is apparent that if the shipping industry is to avail itself of the huge talent pool it appears to be ignoring – illustrated by so little change from one decade to the next – there needs to be some dramatic change.
Is Shipping Misogynistic?
It is probably wrong to suggest that the shipping industry is misogynistic or that there has been no progress since that shocking revelation by Lord Rochdale in the UK, all those years ago. Then, there were insuperable obstacles preventing women from progressing along with any sort of maritime career path.
Progress being made Today, all around the world there are examples of women who are clearly – as the theme for this year’s IMO World Maritime Day suggests – “empowered” in the maritime community.
Recent Progress
There is obvious progress being made, in a year when BIMCO has a woman president and president designate, and organisations as diverse as the World Maritime University, Singapore Shipping Association, the European Sea Ports Organisation and the Southampton Master Mariners’ Association – just to cite a few examples – are headed by female professionals.
It could be argued that there is no shortage of role models, something that is always cited as an obstacle, and that should be of some encouragement.
But there is no getting away from the fact that seafaring, and the maritime world in general, still labours under the perception that it is a “man’s world”, and the percentages inescapably confirm that, statistically, this remains the case.
The Man’s World Perception
What are the obstacles? What are the obstacles that prevent a more rapid change to the status quo, which might enable the industry to bring on board more of this talent pool – an opportunity that it is so obviously missing?
Clearly, the historical context of the industry – when seafaring was a career requiring physical strength that was populated exclusively by men – has cast a shadow over the modern industry that has taken a long time to disappear. Perceptions do not change overnight, and are often passed down from one generation to the next.
Educational Awareness Required
Education also has a great deal to answer for in the way it predetermines career choices. School and college career guides and mentors seem to follow preselected routes, and often exhibit little in the way of original thinking.
It will be a rare career adviser in school or college who will have knowledge or information about our industry.
If a young woman expresses an interest in engineering, for example, it is unlikely that she will be informed about marine engineering or ship science, rather than civil or mechanical engineering pathways. If she was interested in, say, marketing, would she be given any information about shipbroking? If HR was a possible career, would the fascinating world of marine crewing be on the adviser’s radar? That general ignorance of our industry needs to be addressed, and it remains a major challenge.
Industry’s Lack of Concerted Efforts
It might be argued that despite their good intentions, and encouraging noises coming from the top, the shipping industry is too fragmented to make a concerted effort to acquaint young people with the maritime opportunities available.
At college and is too fragmented to make a concerted effort to acquaint young people with the maritime opportunities available.
At college and university, presentations will be given on opportunities in all sorts of different careers, from the armed forces and civil service to banking and financial services.
Industry depends on career fairs
The maritime industry, however, tends to depend on small scale efforts at local career fairs, but otherwise relies upon word of mouth, familial familiarity with shipping, or young people finding out for themselves.
Solutions Require Expenditure
The gender “problem” is incidental to this, as it applies right across the board, and has long been recognised, but the solutions – which usually involve expenditure – are harder to formulate.
Problems of Modern Seafaring World
There are also a number of problems with the “reality” of modern seafaring that could make it unattractive to young women. It is no mystery, why – just as it was in 1970 – women tend to gravitate to the cruise and ferry sectors, where there will be plenty of female companions and more opportunities to participate in a wider shipboard society than is available in a cargo vessel with its small and possibly multinational crew, and a life that – despite connectivity – remains subject to social exclusion.
Accommodation Issues
There has been recent criticism about the accommodation in newly built ships – which was described scathingly in a recent survey by one of the welfare agencies as “institutional”- that is unlikely to commend itself to women crew members, faced with living in such bleak surroundings. However, that would be far easier to fix. Looking ahead, if that miniscule percentage highlighted on the “Day of the Seafarer” is to change, perceptions, prejudice and reality need to change as well.
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Source: BIMCO
