In historically male-dominated sector, women’s participation miniscule
Policy framework in works to ensure safety and inclusivity; scholarships and other incentives being offered
DDG-Shipping Capt (Dr) Daniel Joseph shares open house with seafarers from Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh in Chandigarh to address their concerns
The maritime industry is not about seafarers alone. It offers rewarding employment opportunities in a wide range of shore-based and sea-going roles, including shipbuilding, seafaring, logistics, port operations, marine engineering, and more. Historically, the marine sector has been heavily male dominated, with very few opportunities for women and girls.
All that is set to change as part of implementation of one of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) under the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which is “Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls”.
Talking about seafarers, India has set a target to increase the strength of active women seafarers threefold by 2026, from the current 10,284 active women seafarers, which makes for a miniscule percentage of the total seafarers’ strength of 3.2 lakh in the country.
Sharing this information with your own news portal LifeInChandigarh.com on the sidelines of a largely attended session on “Seafarers’ Rights and Employment” organised by the Director General of Shipping in India recently, on the initiative of Capt Sanjay Prashar, a campaigner for seafarers’ welfare, at the Tagore Theatre in Chandigarh recently, Deputy Director General of Shipping Capt (Dr) Daniel Joseph said among the active women seafarers, 50 hold the position of Captain (of a ship).
The session was an effort at outreach by the DG of Shipping in India to address rights and welfare issues involving seafarers and enlist local support in Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh for propagating various government initiatives. On behalf of the government, the DDG-Shipping vowed stricter action on a range of issues raised by the seafarers, including fraud, better safety, healthcare and training.
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Report on gender equality
A recent report, titled the “Survey on Gender Equality in Indian Maritime Industry (2024)”, developed by Maritime SheEO, with funding from the Consulate General of the Netherlands in Mumbai, has shed light on the significant strides and ongoing challenges for women in the Indian maritime sector over the past five years.
The report highlighted that since the first Maritime SheEO survey in 2019, female participation in the sector has significantly increased and maintains an upward trajectory.
The representation of women CEOs has risen impressively from 3.9% in 2019 to 21.4% in 2024, while the adoption of gender-neutral practices has grown from 80% to 92.7%.
These achievements, the report said, underscore the success of various initiatives, with women’s participation in the sector poised for even greater growth in the coming years.
The report, however, emphasised the importance of specific actions to improve working conditions and career opportunities for women in maritime roles, particularly in seafaring, where participation has seen only a slight increase from 89% in 2019 to 89.5% in 2024.
According to the report, recent data underscores a significant gender gap persisting in top leadership roles within maritime organizations. Male CEOs and Managing Directors outnumber their female counterparts by a ratio of approximately 4:1, with 78.6% being male and 21.4% being female. This disparity highlights systemic issues hindering women’s advancement to executive positions.
94% women seafarers on passenger ships
Addressing THE WEEK Maritime Conclave 2024 in Chennai in November this year, JP Irene Cynthia, managing director, Kamarajar Port, has been quoted as saying during a panel discussion: “The number of women [in the maritime sector] is extremely low,” adding that about 94 per cent of India’s women seafarers are employed on passenger ships. “So, can we really consider them core crew?” she asked.
However, noting a shifting trend, she said the increasing number of women cadets enrolling at the Indian Maritime University (IMU) and other institutes, about 6 to 7 per cent in India, compared to 8 per cent worldwide, means that the current 2 per cent representation will likely grow to around 6 to 7 per cent in the near future, and is bound to increase further over time.
Cynthia’s optimism was based on the growth of women in registered ratings and officer roles. “In 2021, we had around 3,000 registered ratings and officers,” she said. “By 2023, this number rose to about 4,500 to 4,700. So, in just two years, we have seen a 50 per cent growth in women crew in the sector.”
The conclave stressed that a safe and supportive ecosystem is essential to attract more women into maritime roles. “Imagine ‘pink ships’ – vessels with at least 40 to 50 per cent female crew members,” said Cynthia. “This could be a powerful entry point. While we do not necessarily need women-only initiatives, such steps could help women enter the sector with greater confidence, knowing they are part of a safe, supportive environment.”
She stressed the necessity of robust anti-harassment policies that are both practical and strictly enforced. “Equal pay is another crucial factor,” she said. “While the government mandates equal pay, this must extend across all areas of the industry to achieve true equity.”
Maritime Task Force for Women Seafarers
Addressing this issue, Capt Joseph informed that in November this year a ‘Maritime Task Force for Women Seafarers’, headed by Harjeet Kaur Joshi, a former first ever woman Chairperson and Managing Director (CMD) of India’s largest and most diversified shipping company, the Shipping Corporation of India, has been constituted under the ‘Sagar Mein Samman’ initiative.
The task force, with members from various stakeholders, has been mandated to prepare a comprehensive policy document aimed at protecting and enhancing the career path, safety and well-being of women seafarers.
In support of this effort, the Maritime India Vision 2030 is expected to employ a multi-faceted approach, including career counselling, scholarships, and initiatives to combat gender discrimination.
Among the incentives already being extended to women and girls is a Rs 1 lakh scholarship to them in their training courses and introduction of all-women special training batches.
The initiative has drawn inspiration from successful global examples, such as the one adopted in Taiwan, which has effectively increased the number of women seafarers through targeted policies and promotion. Taiwan is a heavyweight in shipping development, three container shipping companies of which are ranked as top 11 globally.
‘Sagar Mein Yog’ initiative
Pointing out that seafaring is a profession that demands utmost physical and mental resilience, Capt Joseph shared that under another initiative ‘Sagar Mein Yog’ in collaboration with various yoga institutes, a structured curriculum is being designed to integrate yoga practices into maritime training institutes, as well as onboard ships and at onshore facilities.
The programme aims to promote the overall well-being of seafarers by addressing physical health, mental health, and stress management through the incorporation of yoga into their daily routines.
Crisis Management Group
According to a white paper on firm commitment to wellbeing of seafarers and to maritime industry, published by the DG Shipping in August this year, a Crisis Management Group has been constituted under the chairmanship of DG-Shipping, which undertakes weekly reviews of urgent cases involving distressed seafarers.
Claiming successes in live cases involving stranded and abandoned seafarers, the white paper said the Crisis Management Group has ensured safety of seafarers and their repatriation back to India, including the case of safe return of 23 seafarers who had been stranded on the ‘MT Advantage Sweet’ in Iran for nearly six months.
Call Centre for Grievances Redressal
The white paper also talks about a Comprehensive Grievances Redressal Mechanism in the works. which will include an integrated call centre to address seafarers’ issues in a timely and transparent manner.
Examination Reform
A significant examination reform is also being implemented to eliminate human intervention and reduce ambiguities in the certification process for seafarers, in line with the Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) requirements.
Capt Sanjay Prashar’s initiative
The session, during which seafarers largely from Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh participated in an open house with the Deputy Director General Shipping, was initiated by Capt Sanjay Prashar, ex-member of National Shipping Board of India, and CEO, VR Maritime, Mumbai, with a branch office in Mohali.
Prashar said seafarers from these landlocked states have been demanding that the DG Shipping open an office in Chandigarh for faster disposal of their concerns and complaints. But in the interim, the session provided a useful platform to them to share their individual or larger issues and have them addressed on the spot.
About Director General of Shipping
The Directorate General of Shipping, India deals with implementation of shipping policy and legislation to ensure the safety of life and ships at sea, prevention of marine pollution, promotion of maritime education and training in co-ordination with the International Maritime Organization (IMO), regulation of employment and welfare of seamen, development of coastal shipping, augmentation of shipping tonnage, examination and certification of Merchant Navy Officers, Supervision and Control of the allied offices under its administrative jurisdiction.
