Women in shipping bring incredible expertise and professionalism, Shipping Deputy Minister, Marina Hadjimanolis, said during he address at a WISTA Cyprus event in Limassol, on the occasion of women's day.
Hadjimanolis also noted that the Cyprus Presidency will host a Conference on Equal Opportunities and Inclusion in Maritime on the 12th of May in Brussels.
The Deputy Minister said that the qualities women bring to this sector, such as perspective, resilience, creativity and leadership, benefit the entire industry and make the organisations stronger. Hadjimanolis highlighted WISTA's role in supporting women's opportunities and visibility in the shipping industry, but added that there still much to be done.
"Promoting equal opportunities and diversity is not only about fairness, it is also about the future of our industry. Shipping needs talent. And talent exists everywhere, among women and men also," she said, adding that the Deputy Ministry is working with international organisations, educational institutions and industry partners to encourage more women to consider maritime careers.
Regarding the initiative of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU to host the Conference on Equal Opportunities and Inclusion in Maritime in Brussels this May, Hadjimanolis said that the goal "is to bring together policymakers, industry leaders and maritime professionals from across Europe to have an honest and meaningful discussion about how we can move forward and how we can create a maritime sector that is truly open, inclusive and full of opportunity for everyone."
The event took place in Limassol on 11 March.
(Source: CNA)
