Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM), a third-party ship manager headquartered in Limassol, has successfully completed the Diversity@Sea project after a 10-month project phase.

This initiative, a global effort by the ‘All Aboard Alliance’, aims to foster gender and cultural diversity within the maritime industry.

“Four female seafarers from different countries were part of the multinational crew on the BSM-managed container vessel, ‘Charlotte Schulte’,” said BSM.

Despite progress in workplace diversity, shipping remains one of the least gender-balanced industries, with women comprising just 2 per cent of seafarers.  

BSM mentioned that “Recognising the untapped talent pool and the industry-wide shortage of skilled labour, we are actively working to increase female representation at sea.”

The company also explained that “Initiatives such as improved working conditions, a mentorship programme linking female shore staff with women at sea, and policies supporting an inclusive shipboard culture have been introduced.”

The Diversity@Sea pilot, one of BSM’s initiatives to attract more women to seafaring professions, was launched by the ‘All Aboard Alliance’, an initiative by the Global Maritime Forum.

It was also mentioned that “The programme aims to improve gender and cultural diversity on board and aligns closely with BSM’s values of promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion at sea.”

The company mentioned that “each pilot vessel had at least four female seafarers and a wide variety of nationalities on board”.

“The participating crew received regular surveys on topics such as mental health, working conditions, and employment challenges for female seafarers,” it added.

Junie Cantoneros, 35, from the Philippines and Chief Officer on the container vessel ‘Charlotte Schulte’, has witnessed significant progress for women on board since the beginning of her career.  

She said, “We are seeing more women in leadership roles, and greater efforts have been made to create an inclusive work environment. Although challenges remain, the focus for equality and respect has grown much stronger.”  

Cantoneros added, “With the right training, support, and leadership, there is no reason why an all-female crew cannot be a reality at some point.”

Eva Rodriguez, Director HR Marine at BSM, claims that there is still a long way to go in addressing gender imbalance.  

According to her, “You need perseverance to achieve true diversity at sea. But we will not relent because we have talented and ambitious female seafarers who deserve encouragement and support.”  

Preliminary findings from the project, compiled by the Global Maritime Forum, highpoint key focus areas for industry-wide improvement, including zero tolerance for abuse and harassment, improving work-life balance, and upgrading onboard facilities, such as enhanced internet and social connectivity.  

“The insights—drawn from 400 seafarers and over 50,000 data points—will contribute to a comprehensive industry report and guidelines, set to be published by the Global Maritime Forum in April 2025,” the company concluded.