indicates the percentage of women seafarers (in both operational and ... a global strategy for women seafarers in Busan, South Korea, 16-19 April 2013. *5) The ...
Feature 1
employed as deck and engine officers.
A Prospect for Women Seafarers
Women seafarers in Asia ＊4)
Dr. Momoko Kitada Assistant Professor World Maritime University (Sweden)
relatively better situations for women to work
While some statistics and accounts are available about women at sea, we know very little about women seafarers, especially outside Europe. Do women seafarers exist in Asia? The answer is yes, but not in all Asian countries. Singapore and Indonesia present on board at operational level. Singapore relies on maritime industries as it creates the employment of 150,000 people and reaches approximately 7% of its GDP. Shipowners in Singapore tend to be affirmative to employ women seafarers and cadets.
Fig.2
Bangladeshi female cadets (Source: Bangladesh Marine Academy)
Indonesia, although it is known as a muslim country, has been accepting women to enroll in a maritime college and to study nautical and engineering subjects since 1966. This open policy to female cadets started much earlier than those in Europe and Africa where the first batch of women were accepted to enroll in maritime schools in mid-70s. Currently, in
The fact about women seafarers
＊1)
. Of which,
Jakarta, Indonesia, approximately 15% of the
Have you ever worked with women on board ships?
women working at operational level on cargo vessels,
graduates are women. Because of their geo-
Seafaring jobs are becoming open to women in many
including deck officers and engineers, were only
graphical advantage close to Singapore, many
countries around the world. Though they still rep-
0.12%, and the rest (1.81%) were considered to be
Indonesian women seafarers are employed by
resent a small population of the total seafaring labour
serving in hotel and catering sections or any other
Singaporean shipowners.
force, it was reported in 2009 that 1.93 percent of
non-operational sections.
seafarers were occupied by women
Many women deck and engine officers are from
also train women cadets. According to
Europe, especially Scandinavian countries. The
the survey of 30 maritime institutions in
study of women seafarers between 1997 and 2001
Philippines between 2008 and 2011, female graduates
indicates the percentage of women seafarers (in both
in marine engineering courses were only 0.56%; and
operational and non-operational level) as follows:
female graduates in marine transportation courses
Sweden 23.3%; Denmark 15.1%; Norway 10.0%,
were 0.94%. The majority of employers in Philippines
UK 8.3%; Finland 5.6%; Belgium 4.4%; Germany
appeared to have a lack of experience and/or interest
＊2)
4.2%; and Italy 1.2%
Fig.1
The author as a speaker at the IMO’s regional conference in 2013 (Source: World Maritime University)
＊5)
in hiring women to operate vessels
Fig.3 The first meeting of Japanese women seafarers and cadets to discuss the future coastal shipping (Source: Kanto District Transport Bureau)
Japanese women seafarers: savior of future shipping? Japan has started to accept women to enroll in
. Although more
maritime universities and colleges in early 1980s.
employment by section in six countries (Bulgaria,
operators and manning agencies started to be aware
There has been a long time that female graduates were
Germany, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden, and UK) ex-
of possible contribution of women to work onboard,
not offered a job at sea, but more women have been,
plains deck officer 26.85% and deck rating 5.98%;
women tend to receive jobs in catering and hotel sec-
though still a few, employed as seafarers in the last
engine officer 7.47% and engine rating 0.65%; and
tions. This idea of women in service sectors resides in
decade. The latest data from the Ministry of Land,
catering officer 65.68% and catering rating 93.17%
all over the Asian countries. Thailand is a good ex-
Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT)
＊3)
. The distribution of women
. This indicates that even in European countries,
ample and it is often young women who are targeted
shows that Japanese women seafarers at operational
women have been traditionally serving to a ca-
to serve their traditional female jobs, such as cooking
level represent 1.61% of the total Japanese seafarers
tering domain on board as ratings rather than being
and cleaning, on board in the current labour market.
on 491 vessels which were inspected during a month
*1) Drewry, ILO, and ITF. 2009. Manning 2009. London: Drewry. *2) Belcher, P. et al. 2003. Women Seafarers: Global employment policies and practices. Geneva: ILO. *3) Sulpice, G. 2011. Study on EU Seafarers Employment: Final Report. EU. MOVE/C1/2010/148/SI2.588190
18 The Mariners’ Digest Vol.39
The top seafarer-supply nation, Philippines,
*4) The information about women seafarers in Asia was extracted from the presentations of the IMO regional conference on the development of a global strategy for women seafarers in Busan, South Korea, 16-19 April 2013. *5) The research conducted by Women in Maritime Philippines (WIMA-Phil).
19
Feature 1
period of June 2014. The statistics showed that more
seafarers to shipowners and urges to ensure an access
Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006 considers
However, it is not a wise option to leave out a half
women seafarers were found on ocean-going vessels
to sanitary bins on board ships＊8) .
a seafarer as any person who is employed or engaged
of the world population - women. International
than coastal vessels. Bigger companies which operate
The shipping industry reflects masculine norms and
or works in any capacity on board a ship to which the
Maritime Organization (IMO) has developed a
large vessels on high seas tend to have more capacity
values as the consequence of the fact that the majority
Convention applies＊12) (MLC, 2006). This implies
programme called the Integration of Women in
to accept women in terms of facilities and provisions.
of workers are male. This phenomenon is particu-
that seafarers are not limited to operational crew but
the Maritime Sector (IWMS) since 1988. This pro-
Most shipowners of coastal ships are medium or
larly true to seafaring jobs. Many women seafarers
also include all personnel under such categories.
gramme has made both global and regional impacts
small-size in business and only a limited number of
find it difficult to adapt to such male cultures and be
There are some specific descriptions regarding
on promoting women seafarers. Up to now, seven
companies have experiences of employing women
accepted as a competent colleague from their male
women seafarers in MLC 2006. For example,
regional associations of maritime women (WIMA:
seafarers on coastal ships.
Women In MAritime) were established.
counterparts. Hence, most women seafarers manage
sleeping rooms should be separated between men and
One of the current debates is to recruit women
their gender identities on board ships by negotiating,
women. In terms of sanitary facilities, ships have to
In 2013, the Busan Declaration was adopted as
seafarers in coastal ship operations as Japan faces a
constructing, maintaining and reproducing from
provide separate facilities for men and women. For
an outcome of the IMO’s regional conference on the
serious shortage of seafarers on coastal vessels. The
time to time＊9) . For example, one of my interviewee,
many years, some shipowners have been reluctant
development of a global strategy for women seafarers
＊10)
threat is expected to be even severer in coming years
Cindy
was a German trainee and she explained
to invest separate facilities for men and women, but
in Busan, South Korea, to call for efforts to promote
because 50% of active seafarers on coastal routes are
how she selected her clothes to bring to the ship when
MLC 2006 ensures the minimum level of living envi-
women seafarers to support the industry. In the fol-
more than 50 years old and expected to be retired ＊6).
packing for the voyage. ‘I know a lot of men are alone
ronment for seafarers and spells out the responsibility
lowing year, 2014, the World Maritime University
The Kanto District Transport Bureau under MLIT
on board and there is no women. Yeah, they have
of flag states in responding to the needs of seafarers.
hosted the conference on ‘Maritime Women: Global
echoed this demand and hosted the first meeting of
desires, sure. If there is a woman with no sleeves and
Under the MLC 2006, all seafarers have a right for
women seafarers and cadets to support Japanese
yeah, maybe tight trousers, they are looking, maybe
social protection , such as health protection, medical
The role of women is no longer in domestic domain
coastal ships on 5th August 2015 (see Figure 3).
try to touch her. It’s clear, I think. So I try to, when
care, welfare and social security protection＊13).
only. The industry needs more seafarers and their
Leadership’ in cooperation with IMO ＊15).
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made an address on
I made my luggage, “Ok, this…? No, it’s too sexy.”
This article and provision legally expect seafarers’
attitudual change to women as potential source of
the Ocean Day 2015 and stressed that Japan needs to
(laugh) “Hmm, this…also sexy?” Yeah. A bit more
entitlement to such social security protection, and
maritime labour will result in a strategy of accepting
increase the number of maritime professionals up to
cover and a bit more wider, not too tight.’
as discussed earlier, some of women seafarers’ chal-
diversified seafarers, including different nationalities,
10,000 people by 2030. However, he failed to asso-
Barriers to women are not only on board, but also
lenges are related in this context, for example, sexual
gender, and cultures on board workplaces.
ciate a strategy to achieve this increase with a possible
at the entry level of accessing to ships. Some female
harassment, bullying, access to sanitary bins etc.
promotion of women seafarers. It should have been
cadets experience sex discrimination when trying to
MLC 2006 states that those ratifying states have the
clarified how the goal is to be accomplished, and if
find a ship to get their 12-month onboard training in
obligation to ensure their rights and this is a good step
women’s participation is necessary in this discussion,
order to comply with the STCW requirement. Many
forward in order to make an improvement of women
a numerical target must be presented as part of the
countries unlike Japan do not have their own training
seafarers’ working conditions at sea. It is also notable
action plan.
ships, therefore women who have completed their
that the benefit from the implementation of MLC
education at school may have a challenge to access
2006 can go to male seafarers as well. Working con-
to a ship as cadets. Similarly, some shipowners and
ditions are equal to both men and women and an ad-
manning agencies are found to be reluctant to employ
vocacy of women seafarers should generate a synergy of improving the work of seafarers as a whole.
Barriers to women seafarers The recent survey on women seafarers’ health and ＊7)
informs several important barriers
women because of misperceptions about women as
to women seafarers. 17% of the respondents reported
trouble-makers or doubts about their fitness and
that they have experienced sexual harassment while
capability to work at sea＊11). The lack of support to
on board. Another question about their access to
women seafarers may be extended to family and com-
The recent report from Drewry in 2014 made
sanitary bins on board revealed that 40% of women
munity levels. Some parents do not want to send their
an estimation of the current officer supply to be
responded no access at all. These problems illustrate
daughters to sea and some community and culture
610,000, representing a shortage of 19,000 per-
how shipboard working environments are unfriendly
may resist women’s non-traditional choices of work.
sonnel. Furthermore, this shortage is forecast to rise
welfare needs
to women or not expected to have women as crew. The International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN) appeals the need of women
MLC 2006 and women seafarers The definitions of seafarers vary by context. The
Why do we need women seafarers?
up to 21,700 seafarers by 2018. As a result, the report warns that there will be a requirement for an additional 38,500 officers＊14). How can we make up for this shortage by 2018 - a few years ahead from now?
*6) MLIT. 2015. Maritime Report 2015. Tokyo: MLIT. *7) A collaborative study was conducted by the International Maritime Health Association, International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network, International Transport Workers Federation, and the Seafarers Hospital Society in 2014-2015. *8) http://www.seafarerswelfare.org/news-and-media/latest-news/women-seafarers-health-needs-%E2%80%93-supplies-of-sanitary-products-on-board (Accessed on 1 September 2015). *9) Kitada, M. 2013. Code of Behaviour at Sea: Women Seafarers’ Shipboard Identity Management. WMU Journal of Maritime Affairs. 12(2): 213227. *10) The name of the respondent is anonymised. *11) Kitada, M. 2010. Women seafarers and their identities. PhD thesis. Cardiff University.
20 The Mariners’ Digest Vol.39
One of the valid discussions is to recruit women seafarers. Seafaring is known as an extreme example of male-dominated occupations in many countries.
Fig.4
(Source: IMO film ‘Women at the helm’)
*12) Article II, paragraph 1 (f). *13) Article IV. *14) Drewry. 2014. Manning Report. London: Drewry. *15) The conference produced a book edited by Kitada et al. 2015. as an outcome of the collective efforts.
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