Maersk’s Indian women seafarers surge from 41 to over 350 in just three years as the company takes a holistic approach towards gender diversity
MUMBAI: A.P. Moller-Maersk (Maersk), a global integrator of logistics, today announced a significant milestone under its ‘Equal At Sea’ initiative in India. With 45% of the Nautical and Engineering cadets onboarded in 2024 being women, the company has inched closer to its 2027 target of equal gender representation amongst its cadet intake.
Accelerating progress towards gender equality in the Indian maritime sector
Launched in 2022, the ‘Equal At Sea’ initiative enters its third year with remarkable success in India. The program’s primary objective is to achieve gender equality among Maersk seafarers, address the historical underrepresentation of women amongst seafarers, and create an ecosystem for the entire Indian maritime sector to improve gender diversity. The program brings different stakeholders across the industry on a common platform, which serves as a hub for exchanging ideas, understanding industry challenges, learning from each other, and implementing best practices.
His Excellency Freddy Svane, Ambassador of Denmark to India, said, “The seas know no gender. By championing diversity in maritime careers, Maersk is not only steering toward equality but also charting a course for innovation and growth in the shipping industry. Denmark and India, as maritime nations, must lead this tide of change.” He added, “This industry-wide effort to create more opportunities for women in maritime careers will undoubtedly strengthen our global shipping community and drive progress and sustainability in the years to come.“
Karan Kochhar, Head of Marine People, Asia, Maersk, said, “Our continuous efforts and immense support from the industry has started realizing the future of creating an equitable environment at sea for women to thrive in. Through our initiatives, we have successfully inspired more women in India to choose seafaring as a career.” He added, “Getting to 45% has been a great team effort within Maersk and across the industry. Now is the time to keep the momentum up and strive to ensure that the women recruited are also retained in the fleet.“
The ‘Equal At Sea’ conference, held today in Mumbai, brought together maritime industry leaders to discuss gender diversity and inclusion. His Excellency Freddy Svane, Danish Ambassador to India, joined the event. The conference comprised three key segments: ‘Sustainable Equality: Going Beyond the ON-Boarding,’ which explored workplace culture and harassment through an interactive discussion; ‘Sea-side Chat – Not All Ceilings Are Made of Glass,’ celebrating pioneering women in male-dominated fields; and an in-depth discussion on the topic ‘All Women on Board: Myth or Reality?’ Additional highlights included a session by the Women in Maritime Association (WIMA) and the announcement of the Equal At Sea challenge winner. The event concluded with a progress report on Maersk’s diversity initiatives, underscoring the company’s commitment to fostering an inclusive maritime industry.
Key Achievements and Milestones in India
- Indian women seafarers: With recent cadet inductions, the number of Indian women seafarers has surpassed the 350 mark, from a mere 41 in 2021, contributing significantly to improving the diversity within Maersk’s seafarers population in India.
- Progress in the Nautical and Engineering streams: The overall percentage of women cadets in this year’s intake has gone up to 45%, and the Nautical division has already crossed 50%.
- Women Rating Programme: Launched in 2023 as a sub-program of ‘Equal At Sea’, the initiative began with 22 women trainees in India. Building on its success, Maersk added two subsequent additional batches and now has a total of 70 women ratings undergoing training.
The success of the ‘Equal At Sea’ initiative in India has also contributed significantly to Maersk’s global progress in improving gender diversity. The number of women seafarers in the Maersk fleet has more than doubled, from 295 in 2021 to over 650 and counting in 2024. The percentage of women in Maersk’s global seafarer pool has risen from 2.3% in 2022 to 5.5% in 2024.
As Maersk celebrates its successful journey of improving gender diversity goals amongst seafarers in India, the company remains committed to fostering an inclusive environment and continuing to break barriers in the maritime industry. Maersk aims to carry this momentum forward from cadet onboarding to recruitment and create an environment that allows women to thrive in this traditionally male-dominated sector.
Maersk initiated conversations about the underrepresentation of women at sea and organized an event called “Equal at Sea: Turning the tide with women onboard” in India in 2022. The purpose of this event was to empower women in the maritime industry through mutual support and mentorship and increase the representation of women in various corporate roles within the sector. The event brought together policymakers, industry experts, and courageous women who have defied stereotypes to pursue careers at sea. Know more at www.maersk.com/equal-at-sea.
