The sea is for everyone. Chart your course.
of seafarers worldwide are women (IMO)
offshore wind, green fuels and maritime tech are hiring
career paths featured on this page
Women who made it
I was the only woman in my cadet class. Today I run the deck on a 300m container ship — and I mentor three female cadets.
Climbing turbines at sea felt impossible until I tried it. The GWO training gave me confidence; the team gave me respect.
Design is about people. Diverse teams build better ships, and employers know it now.
Example stories with illustrative portraits — real interviews coming soon.
Everything you want to know
Pay & equal opportunity
Collective agreements (CAOs) set pay scales by role, not gender. Ask which CAO applies and compare rank-for-rank.
Family & rotations
Shore-based roles, 2-on/2-off rotations and day-shift port jobs make maritime careers compatible with family life.
PPE that fits
Ask for women's-fit coveralls, boots and harnesses. Leading employers stock them as standard.
Safety & respect
MLC 2006 amendments require anti-harassment policies. Ask about reporting lines in your interview.
Leadership
More women now captain ships, lead terminals and run shipyards. Mentoring speeds the path to the top.
Switching in
From nursing, hospitality, IT or the military: many skills transfer. Start with a short certificate course.
Honest about the hurdles
- Representation
Women are about 2% of the global seafarer workforce (IMO) — but far more in shore-based roles.
- Facilities & PPE
Properly fitting PPE and private facilities onboard are still not universal. Ask employers about them.
- Work-life balance
Rotations can be tough with family. Many companies now offer shorter rotations and shore transitions.
- Safety & respect
Look for employers with clear anti-harassment policies and reporting lines, in line with MLC 2006 amendments.
Where doors are opening
- Mentoring
WISTA and Women's International Shipping & Trading groups run mentoring in most EU countries.
- Scholarships
Many maritime academies and companies offer scholarships for female cadets and engineers.
- Fast-growing sectors
Offshore wind, decarbonisation and maritime tech are hiring rapidly and actively seek diverse talent.
What people get wrong
"It's too physical."
Most roles rely on technique, teamwork and tools — and many are office, bridge or control-room based.
"You'll always be away."
Ports, yards, design offices and offshore rotations give real choice in how often you're away.
"There's no one like me."
Networks such as WISTA and Women Offshore connect thousands of women across Europe.
Careers for women in maritime
Designs, operates and maintains propulsion, power and auxiliary systems on vessels and offshore assets.
Defines hull form, stability, structure and performance of ships and floating structures.
Installs, inspects and services turbines at sea, working from SOVs and crew transfer vessels.
Designs power distribution, battery systems and automation for electric and hybrid vessels.
Navigates the vessel, manages cargo operations and leads the bridge watch.
Builds stowage plans balancing stability, port rotation and terminal productivity.
Drives fuel transition, emissions accounting and EU ETS / FuelEU compliance.
Builds data pipelines and digital twins for fleets, ports and autonomous systems.
Creates accommodation, public spaces and superyacht interiors under maritime regulation.