Closing the Gender Gap in the Maritime Industry 

Are the women fallen victims to the lack of mentorship to help them move from operational duties to executive level?  Are there biased evaluations that women have less leadership potential? Is the support for career women so poor that they experience burnout leading them to leave for a work environment with better support?  Are women being penalized for disruptions due to having to meet family demands which require work flexibility?  The answer to all these questions is YES!

The industry can cultivate an environment to help women reach their full potential by moving beyond the policy and into action by focusing on targeted leadership development programmes for women, provide for formal mentorship and have a more transparent promotion policy. The flexible work arrangements will help cultivate an environment where women, who have family responsibility, will be supported to lead and do not have to choose between one or the other.  And, I would say, above all, invest in training and upskilling women in the industry to face the challenges of the industry and have the tools required to confidently make leadership decisions. 

And finally, to my female colleagues in this industry, not everything is going to be handed to you on a silver platter, you need to invest time and effort to acquire the necessary skills you need to progress and advance. You should be offended if someone offers you a job merely because you are a woman and they need to tick a box. You should demand a leading job based on your merits and be recognized for your credentials and skills. Upskilling is the key, having the tools to meet the challenges of digitalization, green transitions, strategic networking is a must to be able to move into the leadership roles. You should ask yourselves: Do I want a career or do I want a job. If you want a career then you need to role up your sleeves, get to work, evaluate the gap between your current qualification and what is required to progress. In a leadership position in an industry such as ours, with rapid changes you need to navigate an era of unprecedented transformation and be ready to face the challenges presented by the volatile geopolitical risks, decarbonization complexities, technological advancements,  and regulatory compliances, continuous learning is essential and should be considered a survival strategy. The industry does not bend to you; you must adapt to the industry’s requirement and show resilience, align your skills with what is sought after in the industry to prevent career stagnation. 

As responsible women in this industry, I am sure we shall reach our goal by investing in our expertise and knowledge, building effective networks, being prepared to face the challenges and showing such a powerful presence supported by our credentials and confidence which would be difficult to ignore.

Discover the Executive MBA in Shipping and Logistics at Copenhagen Business School at cbs.dk/bluemba