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Women account for just 19% of the workforce of national maritime authorities in IMO member states and only 16% of the surveyed private sector workforce (excluding seafarers), according to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association (WISTA)’s Women in Maritime Survey 2024. The number drops to 1% when it comes to women at sea.
As a minority group in a male dominated industry, women can face bias, barriers and difficulty in progressing their careers. Vastly underrepresented in the maritime sector, a lack of visible mentors and allies can also hinder progress.
This report, which builds on the Lloyd’s Register Foundation and Lloyd’s Register’s Rewriting Women into Maritime History initiative, aims to strengthen the dialogue on how to address the challenge today. By sharing stories from women working in the sector, in different types of roles, in different parts of the world, the report gives real life examples of the barriers faced while also highlighting the range of roles and opportunities women can excel in, if given the opportunity.
Each of the individuals featured in this report share what they think needs to happen to address the current gender imbalance in maritime. They also discuss the role that improved diversity and inclusion can play in securing the future of the industry by broadening the range of skilled professionals working in the sector.
If you wish to use and reference the All hands on deck: securing the maritime future through diversity in your own work, please include the following DOI: https://doi.org/10.60743/a4yp-y209
Example Citation in IEEE Style:
Lloyd's Register Foundation, “All hands on deck: securing the maritime future through diversity,” Lloyd's Register Foundation, 2025. doi: 10.60743/A4YP-Y209.
Rewriting Women into Maritime History – the groundbreaking initiative led by Lloyd’s Register and Lloyd’s Register Foundation to uncover and showcase the critical role of women in the maritime sector, past and present – has entered a new, international phase.
After its launch at last year’s London International Shipping Week, our SHE_SEES exhibition is opening at the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.
Rewriting Women into Maritime makes London International Shipping Week debut.
