Elpi Petraki* president of WISTA International replies in black and white to Anny Zade’s** questions on some more than crucial and critical issues facing Global Shipping being nowadays at a turning point in its entirety.
WISTA is celebrating its 50th anniversary and you have been an active member of the Association for half of that time; to your knowledge, how has the degree of participation of women in the maritime industry changed during that time?
25 years ago, there were not many women working directly in the maritime industry. Thankfully, a lot has changed since then, and today we are seeing more women in a range of professions throughout the sector. However, there is still a lot that needs to be done and the speed of change varies significantly depending on which part of the world you are in.
The diversity and inclusion discussion is now in the spotlight like never before and, at this moment of opportunity, we need to capitalise on the momentum to take things to the next level. Creating even greater awareness and driving the diversity agenda forward remains a challenge, but by working together we can share the load in overcoming it and attract and retain more women in the industry.
We are not talking about women replacing men. Our aims are to create a fairer, discrimination-free environment, where there are equitable opportunities. This requires all stakeholders working together to empower women and acknowledge that women have the skills and experience to lead effectively, make decisions and address industry challenges. It’s also about inclusion, and respecting people from all walks of life and the valuable insights and experience they can offer.
What influence has WISTA had on the industry as a whole – please do not be modest!
According to the 2021 BIMCO/International Chamber of Shipping Seafarer Workforce report, the number of women serving as seafarers has increased by 45.8% compared to 2015.
Not all of this is down to WISTA, but over the last few years, WISTA has continued to grow both in terms of its membership and geographical reach.
Over the last 5 years, WISTA has grown significantly and there are now over 4,000 members worldwide and 59 National WISTA Associations (NWAs).
One region that has experienced considerable growth is Latin America due to the dynamic rise of the region as a shipping and trading hub, across its network of international ports and inland waterways which contribute so much to both the regional and global economy. It is estimated that more than 25% of students in the region’s Maritime Academies are women, and there is also a growing number of women in board level positions in port authorities and other maritime businesses. WISTA chose to host its Annual Conference and AGM in Montevideo, Uruguay in October this year.
There has also been significant cooperation between the NWAs, with a range of meetings, events and projects that have united members and encouraged collaboration in areas of critical concern.
In terms of key actions and achievements for WISTA International that continue to raise awareness of the need for greater gender diversity and inclusion in the maritime industry:
In 2018, WISTA was granted consultative status at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). This was a significant achievement, allowing WISTA to formally contribute to the discussion for increasing capacity in the maritime industry, a critical component of which is promoting women in the industry, both shoreside and shipboard, whilst showcasing the varied technical skills and leadership that women can and do bring to the industry.
WISTA has also signed a memorandum of understanding with the IMO, agreeing to work together to promote gender diversity and inclusion as vital factors in securing a sustainable future for the shipping industry. Since then, we have launched the Maritime Speakers Bureau, a database of women who are available to speak on a wide range of industry topics and aims to address the lack of female representation seen on panels and event programmes at industry events.
We also completed the first IMO/WISTA Women in Maritime survey in 2021. The results were published on 18 May 2022 to coincide with the inaugural IMO International Day for Women in Maritime and offered an unprecedented insight into gender diversity across the sector for the first time. This survey set a benchmark for progress with a second survey due to take place in 2025.
At the end of last year, we launched the 2nd edition of the Diversity Handbook in partnership with Anglo-Eastern, the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and the International Seafarers Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN), which included the findings from an in-depth survey into onboard gender-based discrimination, harassment and bullying. The level of discrimination and harassment revealed was shocking and since then we have doubled down on the issue and called for change at the highest levels.
In February, for example, we participated in the IMO Sub-Committee meeting on Human Element, Training and Watchkeeping where decisions were made to draft amendments to the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers to prevent and respond to bullying and harassment in the maritime sector, including sexual assault. While this will not solve the problem, it was an important step in the right direction.
In July, WISTA International was granted Observer Status by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Under this exceptional recognition, WISTA International can appoint representatives to actively participate in the public intergovernmental meetings organized by UNCTAD. This was a remarkable milestone as it strengthens WISTA’s commitment to fostering collaboration with UNCTAD and is a testament to our unwavering dedication to gender equality and empowering women within maritime.
We have also established two new committees this year – an Environmental Committee and a Yachting Committee – each of which has been tasked with identifying solutions to overcome the diversity, equity and inclusion challenges within their respective remits, and a new one is to be added next year, the Port Committee.
WISTA has achieved a lot over the last few years; I’d like to see more women move into managerial positions, and this is something WISTA will continue to support and promote. However, while there are signs of progress, women still only make up 2% of the seafaring workforce as revealed in the 2021 IMO/WISTA Women in Maritime survey, and account for only 29% of the overall workforce within the maritime industry. It is my hope that the second Women in Maritime Survey will show significant improvement.
What more needs to be done to encourage diversity and female participation in the industry?
We need greater collaboration between all stakeholders, better training related to diversity and inclusion, and companies need to do a thorough review of existing policies. I also believe that only when diversity and inclusion are the starting point of discussions can we say that we have truly succeeded.
Industry leaders play a crucial role in the successful implementation and integration of ESG strategies within organisations, acquiring a new duty of care to ensure the viability of the business. By developing a clear ESG vision, the commitment to its requirements and fostering a culture of sustainability, they can effectively drive positive impacts and create long-term value for the industry.
The social aspect of ESG is also particularly important when discussing diversity and inclusion. Policies that support people through all stages of their lives need to be in place, with procedures to address unacceptable behaviours and training available to enhance understanding of the importance of diversity and inclusion. This will not only help to remove biases, but it will demonstrate that mindsets are changing and help to empower women in the workplace.
Collaboration is also essential, and I am delighted that WISTA International is working closely with the IMO and other organisations on several projects which we hope will start to bring about real and measurable change.
We also need to attract more women to the seafaring profession, but to do that, we first need to change people’s mindsets and ensure the right procedures and processes are in place to support women in the majority of workplaces.
There is a huge demand for new talent onboard, so shipping companies cannot afford to overlook 50% of the population. Technology onboard is also changing how a vessel operates; the work is less physical, and the desired skillset is changing. It’s important to recognise that the skills themselves are gender neutral.
You have said that shipping needs to develop its new technologies and innovation for the benefit of its people and the environment. With so many optional pathways ahead, such as in the many choices needed about marine propulsion, how will the most efficient companies and organisations find constructive and sustainable solutions?
Based on 1,875 firms, Morgan Stanley Research analysts recently concluded that share price performance of gender diverse organizations outperformed others by 1.6% in 2022. Once again, research as well as common sense indicates that diverse teams deliver superior results. In short, being able to draw on different perspectives leads to better decision-making. Acceptance of this reality will be vital in ensuring the maritime industry improves and attracts new talent; otherwise, sadly, it will be left behind in progress with new technologies.
Decarbonisation, sustainability and digitalisation are creating new roles and opportunities. The growing importance of data and the digital transformation on land and at sea are helping to level the playing field between men and women as both can have the desired skills and experience needed to create a more sustainable shipping industry. Bringing in a wider range of technologies and a wider diversity of talents also has the potential to make the industry more attractive to the younger generation. This is how companies will find constructive and sustainable solutions to the challenges the industry faces.
For example, we urgently need to know what alternative fuels will be most successful and widely available in order to design new engines so that we can build new ships that will pollute less. It is easier for large operators to experiment with different options, but smaller players need specific solutions that can be applied to retrofit vessels to make them greener.
Within the next two to three years though, a lot can be achieved through relatively simple changes such as new hull coatings and paints to help vessels move more efficiently through the water and cut fuel use, modifications to propellers, the addition of wind sail rotors to assist propulsion and even changing lights or fitting solar panels.
But in order to find new technologies and solutions that will benefit both people and the environment, companies need to stay ahead of the curve and invest in a workforce that can bring a range of ideas and perspectives to the table.
Finally, on a similar theme, how do you see the potential of Artificial Intelligence for assisting (or otherwise) ship management and operations?
AI has a lot of potential to help improve shipping operations and we can already see it being applied in many digital solutions that provide real-time monitoring and reporting. There is also a case for AI to be used in crew training by using it to provide an online training environment onboard and to help those supporting from ashore.
However, we need to carefully consider how AI will impact the workforce and the industry as a whole and ensure that there are measures and training in place to help people prepare for the changes AI is likely to bring.
We also need to be aware of the potential impact AI could have on the gender gap and ensure it is used to improve gender equality rather than have the opposite effect. According to the 2023 Global Gender Gap Report from the World Economic Forum, AI talent has increased six fold since 2016. However, the report reveals that women only account for 30% of global AI talent across large industries and that there has only been an approximate 4% increase in the number of women working in AI today compared to 2016. The report also highlights the risk of gender biases being built into AI algorithms when the female perspective is not incorporated into AI development and deployment.
AI has the power to create new opportunities and drive efficiencies, but we need ensure women have the opportunity to work with AI and develop skills in this area.
Thank you Elpi and wish you best!
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*Elpi Petraki is Operations and Chartering Manager at ENEA Management Inc., for just over 25 years! She’s also Second Vice President of the Hellenic Short Sea Shipowners Association (EENMA), president of WISTA-Hellas and is more than an active member of the International shipping Community participating and delivering speeches in Conferences, Fora and Symposia. She has written interesting articles in the international shipping press and media and gave interesting interviews. Ms Petraki has studied Maritime Business and Law in Plymouth in the United Kingdom and holds a Master’s degree in International Trade and Transport from the Metropolitan University in the City of London (former Guildhall University). She’s also a great supporter of the Environment and Sea Sports.
**Anny Zade is also a WISTA-UK member and co-founder of www.allaboutshipping.co.uk with a multiple career in shipping and the media.
