Pratik Bijlani –
The National Maritime Day Celebrations Committee (NMDC), under the aegis of the Directorate General of Shipping, Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, organized a significant event on May 18th to commemorate the International Day for Women in Maritime. This annual event, initiated by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) of the United Nations, aims to highlight women’s participation in the maritime industry and emphasize efforts to include more women. The event took place at the Maritime Training Institute (MTI) in Mumbai.
Mr Shyam Jagannathan, Director General of Shipping, Government of India, and Chairman of the NMDC (Central) Committee, presided over the event, which also included a special guest, Mrs Kalpana Srivastava, wife of the late PK Srivastava, CMD, SCI, and daughter of the late Mr CP Srivastava, Secretary-General, IMO.
Ms Sindhura Polepalli, Legal Consultant, DGS, Government of India welcomed everyone and emphasised women’s empowerment and its relevance in the marine industry. “Similar to every other field in today’s world, women have broken stereotypes, and they have proved that they are capable of not only entering this tough profession, but they are also thriving and are making great strides at par with men” said Ms Polepalli.
She highlighted the progress women have made in the maritime industry and discussed various initiatives by the IMO and the Government of India to further support women in this field. She also emphasized the importance of May 18th, designated by the IMO as the International Day for Women in Maritime, with this year’s theme being “Safe Horizons – Women Shaping the Future for Maritime Safety.”
A video message from Mr Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary General of the IMO, was shown. In his remarks, he emphasised the importance of increasing female involvement in the maritime profession in order to fully realise the promise of a diverse workplace. He emphasised the opportunities open to women in various marine jobs and advocated for the promotion of inclusive and safe working conditions. This year’s IMO topic strives to highlight the important role that women play in improving industry safety standards.
A panel discussion titled “Journey so far…” featured diverse women from the marine sector. Ms. Kalpana Desai, Board Member of MbPA; Ms Polepalli; Ms Nyari Nain, Superintendent at Maersk India; Ms Laxmi Neti; and Ms Archana Saxena from IWSF were among the panellists, with Ms Saleha Shaikh, Founder and Head, MUI Women’s Wing, The Maritime Union of India moderating the session. They shared their experiences, accomplishments, and initiatives to create a more inclusive maritime community.
The occasion also featured cultural activities organised by various marine ladies. These included a dancing session, a comedy by women from Mumbai Port Authority’s medical department showing notable women in India and the maritime sector, and a play on assertiveness by Anglo Eastern Academy demonstrating how to deal with harassment as a seafarer. A performance titled “Lehro ki Rani” by Samundra Institute of Maritime Studies emphasised the problems that women experience in the maritime sector, from starting their careers to working aboard ships. Another skit showed the impact of stress on sailors.
In his address, Mr Jagannathan stated, “Women have always been more responsible, and in the maritime domain, where safety always has to come first, it is essential that we have more and more participation (of women) in the maritime sector.”
The event left a lasting impression about the significance of women’s contributions to the marine industry.
Marex Media