‘Poor Women Representation Threatens Blue Economy Potential’

The Nigerian Chamber of Shipping (NCS) has stated that the lofty potentials in the Nigerian blue economy will not be realised without the active participation of women in the sector, especially at managerial levels.

The president of NCS, Aminu Umar, made this assertion while speaking at a summit organised by the Chamber on Thursday, themed: “Safe Horizons: Women Shaping The Future Of Maritime Safety.”
Umar was represented at the conference by a Governing Board member of NCS and Principal Partner, Jean Chiazor and Partners, Jean Chiazor Anishere.

“The maritime sector is a cornerstone of global trade and economic growth. There are numerous benefits accruable from the maritime industry but these benefits can’t be realised without the active women participation, especially in leadership roles,” the NCS president said.

Meanwhile, the NCS President expressed delight and profound gratitude to the special guests and speakers including; president of WISTA International, Elpiniki Petraki; the managing director of NLNG Ship Management Limited, Abdul-Kadir Ahmed; the executive secretary, WISTA International, Jemilat Mahamah, among others who graced the occasion.

Also speaking, the president of WISTA International, Elpiniki Petraki, stressed that beyond taking pride in the accomplishment to have the International Maritime Organization (IMO) dedicate a day for women in maritime, the event should be a platform to strategise for increased women participation across all facets of the maritime sector.

Elpiniki noted that the challenges confronting women in the industry are similar across frontiers and national boundaries, stating that gender balance remains a global setback globally.

“Only 29 per cent of the entire maritime workforce globally are women, but the stats drop to 24 per cent for women engaged in maritime administrations. Sadly, in seafaring the ratio is less than two per cent for women and this profession has over 1.8 million people,” the WISTA International President said.

She, however, encouraged Nigerian women in maritime and other industry stakeholders to participate in the ongoing IMO/ WISTA maritime survey to get the up-to-date representation of women in the sector.

According to her, the survey which runs till December 2024 will be strategic in promoting diversity and women inclusion in the maritime sector.

Meanwhile, during one of the panel sessions, a Maritime Psychotherapist, who also experienced the ordeals of seafaring, Pam Kern, harped on the need to increase awareness of psychological safety in the maritime industry.

Kern affirmed that female seafarers are exposed to varying psychological challenges having experienced storms, turbulence, violence, fire outbreaks and other vices leaving adverse effects on their behaviours.

Her words: “Physiological safety has been a concept known in most sectors for a long time, but I’m happy to see it come to play in the maritime space. However, if we have strong and inclusive leadership teams at top level like captains and chief engineers, the awareness trickles down to other workers in the rank and file.”

In her opening remarks, the director general of NCS, Vivian Chimezie-Azubuike, stated that the programme was the 3rd edition by NCS organised as part of activities to commemorate the 2024 international day for women in maritime.