Leading maritime organisations in call to change perceptions on historical role of women in shipping
Project to showcase female involvement in industry over the centuries
A group of leading organisations within the maritime industry are collaborating on a project to highlight the activities undertaken by women in shipping over the past few centuries.
Launched in the UK and Ireland in 2023, the Rewriting Women into Maritime History initiative collated material spread across archives and maritime organisations, so that accounts of women in the shipping industry could be identified and placed in the public domain for the first time.
The objectives of the project were to raise the profile of female shipping expertise, experience and leadership from maritime past as well as helping reframe the narrative around women in maritime and help promote gender equity, diversity and inclusion.
The stories were showcased publicly through the SHE_SEES exhibition. Using a mix of striking visuals, art and storytelling, SHE_SEES debuted at the home of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) during London International Shipping Week 2023, and is currently on tour, with a residency at Portsmouth Historic Quarter until August 2025.
The extensive research and interpretation project provides plenty of opportunities for organisations to be involved in outreach activities to engage a global audience. By highlighting the expertise, experience and leadership of women, the programme helps reframe the narrative of a predominantly masculine industry and encourages more people to take up the opportunities offered by a career in the maritime sector today. Figures from the IMO show that women currently account for 29% of the overall industry workforce, and just 2% of seafarers in the crewing workforce.
Now, Rewriting Women into Maritime History and the SHE_SEES exhibition are looking to expand their impact internationally, by telling the stories of women working in the maritime sector in another nine countries around the world. These stories will be captured over the next three years, starting in 2025 with Greece, the Netherlands and India.
Other interested parties are invited to join the initiative, which will run over several years. Please register your interest here.