The World Maritime University’s (WMU) Professor Momoko Kitada and WISTA’s Elpi Petraki identify education as the heart of the matter for empowering women across the maritime industries
For the first time, the cohort for WMU’s MSc programme in Malmö reached gender parity in the Class of 2026. It is a major milestone for industry diversity and inclusion, but it is also just a start, say experts involved in training and mentoring women as the IMO celebrates the 2026 International Day for Women in Maritime on 18 May.
Education is key to addressing challenges and ways forward according to former seafarer Professor Momoko Kitada, WMU Academic Dean, Head of Maritime Education and Training (MET) and Nippon Foundation Professorial Chair, and Elpi Petraki, WISTA International President who is also Chartering, Operations and Business Development Manager at Greek shipowner ENEA Management.
Education and training are the most impactful ways to instil diversity and inclusion in shipping to match the aspirations behind the IMO’s theme for Women in Maritime Day 2026, ‘From Policy to Practice: Advancing Gender Equality for Maritime Excellence’.
“In order to have a sustainable future, we must have gender equality,” says Professor Kitada. “I would say education and training is definitely the most effective intervention, but it takes time. It’s a long-term investment.”
Petraki agrees: “Education is essential. One of the barriers that women face in advancing in their careers is confidence in themselves and what they know. Access to further education and training can help them become better professionals and gain the skills they need to progress.
“Education also has a role to play in attracting people to the industry and in making sure we don’t lose talent to other sectors,” Petraki added. “The industry needs a diverse pool of people, and education and training deliver long-term value - not only for individuals, but also for employers who benefit from a more skilled, capable and future-ready workforce.”
Gender neutral career paths
Shipping does not figure among mainstream career options in many parts of the world. Awareness and encouragement of girls and young women towards technical occupations could be leveraged to attract them to engineering and computing disciplines in maritime - a sector facing acute labour shortages, Petraki and Professor Kitada point out.
“Education itself is empowerment. No matter who you are, regardless of your gender, age or background, it is such a powerful tool for life,” says Professor Kitada.
“Education should be open to everyone,” adds Petraki. “And who is teaching is also important. It is essential to have role models or professors that are women.”
While education has intrinsic value, Petraki makes this last point to emphasise other educational enablers of change. Women in maritime are often not encouraged to undertake training courses by either governments or companies.
However, women will often be more loyal to their employers than males when they see they are being supported and have opportunities to progress, adds Petraki.
Providing long-term support and development opportunities can help to create a positive cycle for the industry, with scholarships and mentorship programmes helping to build a sustainable workforce and advance gender equality.
“This year we achieved gender parity when it comes to WMU student intake in Malmö,” says Professor Kitada. “We want to maintain this trend. Scholarships can be very effective ways for the industry to support WMU and create relationships with students who will be future leaders. They are also really good investments for companies, especially when it comes to encouraging talent in the Global South.”
Mentorship programmes can also be very effective, she adds.
Roles are likely to change through peoples’ careers so continuous education is becoming essential, says Petraki. “Things are changing extremely fast. Technology is rapidly changing and we need to adapt to new roles and new requirements.”
The cost of lost support
The effects of geopolitical instability go far beyond the headlines, and investing in people can be an early casualty. “We have unfortunately seen employers quickly discontinue training programmes or their support for initiatives focusing on women as resources are redirected during times of uncertainty,” says Petraki.
Over the years, Petraki has seen many women leave the industry despite being well-qualified and ambitious. Often this is due to a lack of progression opportunities or support at times when it is needed most.
Research has shown that one in eight women in the UK have left their jobs after becoming parents, while 53 percent said their careers had been negatively affected due to a disparity in childcare responsibilities.
“We don’t want to give false promises to women, so we need to tackle discrimination head-on. It is unfair to promise women work or promotions after completing their studies or returning to work if gender-based discrimination still exists in the recruitment and selection process, whether it is conscious or unconscious,” says Petraki.
Even small steps matter, emphasises Professor Kitada. “We will be launching a gender mainstreaming handbook as part of our International Day for Women in Maritime celebrations at IMO on 18 May. The purpose of the handbook is to encourage critical thinking, to listen to others, reflect on how things are usually done and see that there may be an alternative approach. We are trying something different and innovative. It’s like planting a positive seed and seeing what we can grow.”
Last year WMU delivered the first training programme on Women’s Leadership and Empowerment in collaboration with IMO and WISTA International. This year, the name has been revised to Gender Inclusive Leadership in Maritime to put less emphasis on women and more on gender inclusivity.
Funding goes to women participants, but Professor Kitada says it has also been useful to incorporate men’s perspectives as a way of educating them on how to be allies for empowerment.
IMO’s support has been instrumental in bringing women into shipping from less developed countries through its Women in Maritime Associations (WIMAs) set up in Africa, Arab States, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America and the Pacific. Government authorities mainly operate via the WIMAs while WISTA works more directly within the industry, says Petraki.
“By providing women with access to training opportunities and global networks, we also work towards greater change, as they advance their skills to make a broader contribution to the industry and their local communities,” says Professor Kitada.
