The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) is using this year’s International Day for Women in Maritime to press a sharper message, gender equality in shipping can no longer remain a policy ambition, but must become part of how the industry operates every day.

Marked on May 18, the day is being held under the theme ‘From Policy to Practice: Advancing Gender Equality for Maritime Excellence’, linking the role of women in maritime to the sector’s wider need for skilled people, stronger institutions and a more resilient future.

The focus comes as shipping is being asked to adapt on several fronts, from decarbonisation and new fuels to digitalisation, autonomous vessels and changing training requirements.

In that context, IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez has framed 2026 as a year in which the organisation must move away from declarations and towards delivery.

“As we start 2026, I would like to focus on something simple. Getting things done at IMO,” Dominguez said.

“This is the year of implementation. Moving from plans to concrete actions and measurable progress reflected in our world maritime theme from policy to practice powering maritime excellence,” he added.

That same shift, from intention to implementation, is at the heart of this year’s International Day for Women in Maritime.

According to the IMO, the day is intended to emphasise the practical steps needed to embed gender equality at every level of the maritime industry, both at sea and on shore, from seafarers and cadets to maritime administrations, ports, companies and training institutions.

Dominguez said the industry must also be prepared to ask more difficult questions about why progress has not gone far enough.

“Despite our longstanding commitment to fostering gender diversity across the maritime sector, persistent challenges remain,” he said.

“It is time to reflect deeply and ask, where are we falling short, and what practical measures can we implement to move beyond rhetoric and achieve meaningful, lasting change?” Dominguez added.

The issue is becoming more pressing as the sector faces growing demands for new skills.

Dominguez has also pointed to the nearly two million seafarers working at sea, saying that training must keep pace with the realities now reshaping shipping.

“Recognising that training needs to keep up with the new realities of the industry, we will start a major update of the STCW Convention including emerging technologies, new fuels and changing requirements on decarbonisation,” he said.

He added that the IMO is moving ahead with efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions from the sector “by or around 2050”, while the finalisation of the autonomous ships code will also remain in focus.

For the IMO, the message is therefore wider than representation alone. Gender equality is being presented as part of maritime excellence itself, especially in an industry that cannot afford to leave talent behind while it is trying to transform.

As part of the day’s programme, the IMO will host a special event at its headquarters in London on May 18, 2026, examining why gender mainstreaming matters and what obstacles continue to limit women’s participation and advancement across the maritime sector.

The event, which will include full interpretation and will also be livestreamed on the IMO’s YouTube channel, will be opened by Dominguez and will bring together maritime experts and advocates to share examples of how commitments can be translated into action.

A key part of the programme will be the launch of the Handbook on Gender Mainstreaming by Professor Momoko Kitada of the World Maritime University.

The handbook is designed as a practical resource for maritime administrations, shipping companies, ports and maritime training institutions, helping them bring gender perspectives into their policies, procedures and day-to-day operations.

Kitada, who was nominated by Japan, will also receive the 2026 IMO Gender Equality Award, after being selected for her contribution to advancing gender equality and the empowerment of women in the maritime sector.

A former seafarer, Kitada is the Nippon Foundation Professorial Chair in Gender and Innovation and Head of Maritime Education and Training at the World Maritime University in Malmö, Sweden.

She joined WMU in 2011 and has 20 years of research experience in gender equality in the maritime and ocean sectors, with her work covering maritime education and training, maritime energy management, sustainable development, capacity building, digitalisation and innovation.

According to the assessment panel, Kitada’s influence has extended well beyond WMU, inspiring generations of students to carry the principles of gender equality into their own administrations and institutions.

The panel also said her research, teaching and leadership of WMU’s gender and diversity initiatives had helped translate policy into tangible change in many countries, bridging academia, policy and practice.

In addition to the award, Letters of Commendation will be given to nominees from Brazil, Greece, the Philippines and the Cruise Lines International Association, recognising work ranging from women’s recruitment into technical roles and offshore diversity initiatives to gender-responsive policies, mentorship and the promotion of women in senior maritime positions.

The IMO said the Gender Equality Award recognises individuals, regardless of gender, who have made significant contributions to equality and women’s empowerment in maritime.