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The Hindu
28-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Women at sea: how we can close the gender-gap in Merchant Navy?
The gender diversity in the maritime sector remains disproportionately low. The second Women in Maritime survey shows that at sea, women remain vastly underrepresented, accounting for just 1% of the total number of seafarers employed by surveyed organisations. While there are challenges such as workplace safety concerns, gender pay gap, and more, there are consistent efforts to make the space more inclusive. The report jointly published by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the Women's International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) reports that women account for 19% of the workforce of national maritime authorities in Member States, and only 16% of the surveyed private sector workforce (excluding seafarers). To delve deep into the topic, The Hindu hosted a live webinar titled 'Careers for women in the Merchant Navy' on Saturday, May 24 at 5:00 p.m. The webinar featured an expert panel including Captain Radhika Menon, India's first female Merchant Navy captain; Harjeet Joshi, Former Chairperson and Managing Director, Shipping Corporation of India (SCI); Amri Saxena, Maritime Leadership Consultant, Maersk Training; and Swetha Rotkar, Senior Executive, CSR, Synergy Marine Group. Also Read: Merchant Navy careers: High-paying jobs, training paths, and life at sea explained The panelists emphasized that there are numerous pathways into maritime careers, ranging from engineering roles to navigation positions. They also highlight that while challenges exist, success stories continue to emerge as more women break barriers within these traditionally male spaces. Entry pathways Ms. Rotkar outlined the four main departments in the Merchant Navy: deck department, engine department, ETO, and GP rating. To join the deck department, one needs a Diploma in Nautical Science, a one-year course, or a in Nautical Science, which is a three-year course. To get into the engine department, one needs to finish a in Marine Engineering, a four-year course. Mindset required Ms. Amri emphasized the importance of mindset when entering the maritime field. 'I think the first and foremost thing that we need to have in our minds is that you need to have a learning mindset, because you are entering a new environment. That is a given.' She acknowledged the unique challenges for women at sea. 'Especially for the women who are joining the fleet, the industry is still in its nascent stage to embrace you completely. Equality is still not there, so there will be more challenges. We need to accept that and work around it rather than be scared of it. It's not a big bad world out there. There are challenges, but there are also people who have sustained it, who have made it happen'. Ms. Joshi spoke about how one needs to prepare for the isolating experience it can prove. 'Life at sea is slightly different from doing an office job on shore. What you mainly face is long hours of isolation because you are out at sea and cannot come back onto land unless your vessel touches another port. You are restricted to a small group on board, so you need to have a very resilient mindset. Contracts typically last six to eight months, which means you're sailing continuously for that duration.' Towards gender inclusivity Ms. Joshi also noted the progress made in the field in terms of gender inclusion. She outlined key policy initiatives like Sagar Mein Samman to boost female participation in the industry. 'Back in the day, there were no policies. But today, the government is actively working to ensure equality and equity in the maritime industry. Capt. Menon shared her pioneering journey starting as India's first female merchant navy captain amid an environment lacking policies supporting women. 'Choose to be a seafarer with your eyes open. In today's world, much is known about what life on board entails, the work conditions, the challenges, and the responsibilities. Once you step on board, you'll find there is a lot of support available, both from companies and from the government', she said. She highlighted that support systems are actively in place. 'Every company has helplines for mental health and emotional support. There are also organizations like the International Women Seafarers Foundation, which help women tackle any issue or doubt they may have, no matter how small', she said. While hurdles remain in creating an equitable environment within the Merchant Navy, progress is evident through collective efforts aimed at empowering aspiring female seafarers towards fulfilling careers on the high seas.
The Hindu
22-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
How women can build careers in the Merchant Navy?
Two women, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi of the Army and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh from the Indian Air Force, were part of the briefing about Operation Sindoor. Their presence at the briefing is a culmination of a long-drawn fight for women holding combat roles in the Indian armed forces. While this level of inclusion is seen in the armed forces, the Merchant Navy, another male-dominated arena, still lags far behind in the representation of women. Till today, the gender diversity in the maritime sector remains disproportionately low. The second Women in Maritime survey shows that at sea, women remain vastly underrepresented, accounting for just 1% of the total number of seafarers employed by surveyed organisations. The report jointly published by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the Women's International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) reports that women account for 19% of the workforce of national maritime authorities in Member States, and only 16% of the surveyed private sector workforce (excluding seafarers). While there are challenges such as workplace safety concerns, gender pay gap, and more, there are consistent efforts to make the space more inclusive. The potential pathways within the merchant navy sector range from engineering roles to navigation positions. The webinar will try to explore in what roles women are making a mark, and where the future lies for them. Organisations like The International Women Seafarers Foundation also work to bridge the gap and make the Merchant Navy a safer place for women. The IWSF has employed over 60 women seafarers in the last six years of their work. It has also assisted over women seafarers in fighting sexual harassment cases. To address these challenges and explore opportunities for women in the maritime field, The Hindu will host a live webinar titled 'Careers for women in the Merchant Navy', on Saturday, May 24, 5:00 p.m. The panellists include: Capt. Radhika Menon, India's first female Merchant Navy Captain; Harjeet Joshi, Former Chairperson and Managing Director, Shipping Corporation of India (SCI); Amri Saxena, Maritime Leadership Consultant, Maersk Training; Swetha Rotkar, Senior Executive, CSR, Synergy Marine Group. The session will be moderated by Ravina Warkad from The Hindu's Education vertical. Register now for free to ask questions and interact with the panellists. Those who ask the three best questions will receive a free online subscription to The Hindu. Panellists Captain Radhika Menon, India's first female Merchant Navy Captain Capt. Radhika Menon is a pioneer in the maritime industry, celebrated as India's first female merchant navy captain and the first Indian woman to command a foreign-owned ship. She is the first woman to receive the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea in 2016. She started her journey as a Radio officer, and then transitioned to a navigating officer and steadily rose through the ranks, taking command in 2012. In 2017, she co-founded the International Women Seafarers Foundation (IWSF) with the primary goal of promoting the participation of women seafarers in the maritime industry. Through IWSF, she provides ongoing mentorship and support, guiding women through the challenges of their careers. Harjeet Joshi, Former Chairperson and Managing Director, and Director Finance at The Shipping Corporation of India Ltd. Ms. Joshi has held the additional charge of Director (Finance) at Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) alongside her term as CMD. She has also held the additional charge of Managing Director, India Ports Global Limited, and Chairperson of India Ports Global Chabahar Free Zone. Prior to her association with the Maritime Industry, she was worked in Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) where she led the finance division responsible for all financial activities and decisions in the largest gas producing asset, an Exploration Business group and in Engineering Services which handled the largest capex and investment plans of offshore construction projects. Amri Saxena, Maritime Leadership Consultant, Maersk Training Amri is a Counseling Psychologist and Human Factors Specialist with over 22 years of experience in Learning and Development. Her 14 years in the Maritime industry are shaped by her journey as a seafarer's spouse and her sailing background. Ms. Saxena has trained seafarers of all ranks—from ratings to senior Masters and Chief Engineers—across prestigious Maritime Training Institutes in India. Her contributions extend beyond training; she has also served as a Counselling Psychologist for various maritime companies, offering critical psychological support to distressed seafarers at sea. Her global credentials include working with the Nautical Institute, London, as a Human Factors Specialist, where she contributed to enhancing safety and performance at sea through behavioural and psychological insight. Currently, Amri serves as a Maritime Leadership Consultant at Maersk Training, Denmark, where she facilitates a distinctive Leadership Development Program and conducts psychometric assessments for seafarers preparing for leadership roles. Swetha S Rotkar, Senior Executive, CSR, Synergy Marine Group Ms. Rotkar holds a in Nautical Science from MANET Pune and began her maritime journey by sailing for 18 months as a Deck Cadet with TORM. Following her sea tenure, she transitioned ashore and gained further technical experience—first as a PMS Assistant at TORM, and later as a PMS Engineer at Martech Systems, working on software-based maintenance solutions for commercial vessels. Since May 2023, Swetha has been part of Synergy Marine Group's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) department, where she supports programmes related to community engagement, seafarer welfare, and sustainability-linked initiatives. In addition to her core responsibilities, Swetha has also been actively involved in Synergy's outreach initiatives across various parts of India, encouraging young girls to consider maritime as a career. (For any suggestions or feedback, please reach out to us at education@
