Over 180 speaker enquiries received and nearly 450 women speakers registered worldwide
(08 October 2025) – The Maritime Speaker Bureau, supported by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and WISTA International, has undergone a major upgrade, introducing new features to help event organisers more easily identify, assess, and engage top women speakers from across the global maritime sector.
With the addition of endorsements and peer recommendations, the platform now enables organisers to build more balanced, engaging and credible panels, helping elevate the quality of maritime events worldwide.
“This Bureau is not just a tool, it’s a catalyst for change,” stated Elpi Petraki, President of WISTA International. “By giving organisers access to top-calibre women speakers from across the globe, we are removing barriers and enabling them to shape events that are more dynamic, more representative, and ultimately more impactful. The Speaker Bureau supports the industry in raising its own standard.”
Growing Demand from Organisers
The response from the industry has been clear: organisers want faster, easier access to expert speakers who reflect the realities of today’s maritime sector and the Bureau is helping deliver exactly that. A recent surge in platform traffic underscores the growing urgency among event planners to secure leading voices and shape standout sessions for 2026 and beyond.
Connecting Organisers to the Right Speakers Fast
Since its launch, the Maritime Speaker Bureau has received over 180 direct speaker enquiries and currently lists nearly 450 women speakers. Each profile includes:
- The topics speakers are happy to present on
- The regions where they are available to speak, either in person or online
With upcoming conferences tackling urgent themes like decarbonisation, regulatory change, digital transformation, and human-centred leadership, the upgraded platform ensures organisers can now quickly find speakers with relevant experience and fresh perspectives.
New Tools That Make a Difference
• Endorsements: Speakers can now be endorsed by logged-in users for specific areas of expertise, offering organisers an extra layer of insight into industry recognition and credibility.
• Recommendations: Written recommendations, once approved by the speaker, provide deeper context about a speaker’s presentation style, insight, and professional strengths.
• Smarter Profile Management: Speakers are encouraged to regularly update their areas of expertise and available regions, ensuring the platform stays relevant to the fast-changing maritime agenda.
A Direct Call to Organisers: Use the Tools, Raise the Standard
With planning well underway for 2026 maritime conferences, WISTA International is calling on organisers, associations, and media platforms to use the Speaker Bureau to its full potential.
“We now have the tools, the technology, and nearly 450 women from across the industry ready to share their insights,” added Petraki. “The Speaker Bureau makes it easy to find them. There’s no longer any excuse for unbalanced panels.”
The platform is free to use, searchable by topic and region and open to organisers around the world. All engagement is managed directly between organisers and speakers.
Explore the Maritime Speaker Bureau https://maritimespeakers.com/
According to Google Analytics, the Maritime Speaker Bureau has recorded over 6,300 active users and more than 52,000 page views over the last 12 months. April marked a peak in traffic, reflecting a surge in global interest as conference planning ramped up ahead of the planned 2025 events. This figure includes speaker registrations and organiser visits.
Media and organiser enquiries: pr@imageline.co.uk +44 207 689 9009
About the Maritime Speaker Bureau
The Maritime Speaker Bureau is a global online directory supported by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and WISTA International, designed to improve access to women speakers in the maritime industry. It gives organisers a transparent and trusted tool to build inclusive and impactful programmes.
About WISTA International
WISTA International is a global network of more than 6,000 women professionals in 62 countries, advancing leadership, visibility, and collaboration in the maritime, trading, and logistics sectors.
