Event on improving women participation in seafaring

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 25

To mark the Day of the Seafarer 2019, the Merchant Navy Officers Association (MNOA), along with the Company of Master Mariners of India (CMMI) (Chandigarh Chapter), Fleet Ship Management (Caravel Group) and the Chandigarh Yachting Association, organised an event at the Lake Sports Complex, Sector 1, Chandigarh.

Maj Gen Rambir Singh Mann VSM, ADG, NCC, was the chief guest and Vice-Admiral HS Malhi (retd) AVSM, VSM, was the guest of honour. Chief Officer Simran Mann motivated young women to join merchant navy.

In keeping with the World Maritime Day’s theme this year – ‘Empowering Women in the Maritime Community’, the Day of the Seafarer was celebrated with a focus on improving women participation in seafaring. The panellists discussed the challenges and opportunities for women in maritime activities, particularly seafaring. Speakers emphasised that women seafarers were considered by International Maritime Organisation (IMO) as an underutilised and an underdeveloped resource and that if the number of women in seafaring was increased, it could solve the problem of crew shortage. Balbir Singh Mangat, president, MNOA, urged the shipping companies to unlock the doors of opportunities for women in seafaring and demanded to create a safe work environment for them. 

Ajit Singh, general secretary, MNOA said, “There is a need for proper maritime laws that should be framed to avoid sexual harassment cases against women.”