Every year on 18 May, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) International Day for Women in Maritime calls for recognition, representation, and real change. It is a day that celebrates the contribution of women to the maritime sector while addressing the persistent need to break barriers, improve visibility, and create a more inclusive industry.
The 2025 theme, “Oceans of Opportunities for Women” highlights the emerging prospects and transformative leadership roles women can assume across the maritime industry. Whether onshore or at sea, there is a need to reshape the workforce and champion diversity.
At Campbell Johnston Clark (CJC), this commitment is more than symbolic – it is embedded in the firm’s leadership. With accomplished female Directors, CJC continues to lead by example, showing how diversity and inclusion in the shipping law sector is a reality.
However, as Maria Borg Barthet, Director in London, explains, building a truly inclusive culture means broadening the conversation:
“This day may spotlight women, but our mission is broader. It’s not just about women - it’s about championing diversity every single day. That means celebrating what we do, empowering all voices, and ensuring everyone has a seat at the table.
“Everyone is integral to this journey. Progress doesn’t happen in isolation. We honour the women breaking boundaries, appreciate the men who support them, and champion a future that values equality for all.”
While the visibility of women in the maritime industry has improved in recent years, Jacqueline Zalapa, Director and Head of Diversity and Inclusion at CJC, points out that systemic barriers remain which hinder meaningful change:
“Women are becoming more visible for numerous reasons, including efforts by the IMO’s Women in Maritime Associations and Gender Programme, WISTA, Maritime SheEO and Lloyd’s Register’s 2023 initiative to rewrite women in maritime history. But visibility alone will not change the landscape of opportunities. Women remain on the margins of leadership in maritime. Findings — whether public or shared behind closed doors — show that meaningful change has been progressing at a glacial pace.
“The gender pay gap is still alive and well, even at the most senior levels. In 2025, adopting equal maternity and paternity leave policies remains a controversial topic. Without policies to help level the playing field at home, how does one level the playing field in the workplace? If progress is to be made beyond lip service, the support of men in the most senior positions is essential.”
Others at CJC highlight how inclusion is not just a social imperative but a business one. Helen McCormick, Director of CJC’s London office, reflects:
“This is a very simple business case. To do the best work, we need the best people. Recruitment costs money, and failing to recruit the right people (and to retain them once we’ve got them) costs even more money. Therefore, if we want the best people, we need to be recruiting from the widest selection of good candidates, whoever they are, and retaining them.
“We won’t achieve this if we can’t keep good people because they don’t feel valued or supported or they feel they can’t progress with us. Nor will we achieve it if good candidates are put off applying to us in the first place because they fear that they won’t fit in.
“When I first started out twenty years ago, there were senior people (men and some women too) who believed that it wasn’t worth investing in the careers of young women, and that we were inherently a flight risk. Probably some still do. Fortunately for me, they didn’t all feel that way. Now, sat on the other side of the desk, my view is that failing to harness potential can be a costly mistake.”
The need for a more structured, long-term approach is shared by Aik Hui Chua, Director in Singapore. She emphasises how sustainable progress means investing in a holistic, systemic approach to gender diversity:
“The maritime industry is making strides toward greater inclusivity and gender diversity, recognising that diverse perspectives drive innovation, stronger decision-making, and business success. But there’s still more to do. We must:
(a) continue to encourage more women to join the maritime industry,
(b) provide financial support for maritime studies,
(c) implement targeted recruitment in universities and academies, and
(d) ensure succession planning for female leaders so that gender diversity continues at the highest levels.”
Visibility and support are central to the future of women in maritime, says Kate Law, Director in London. Her experience in the industry reflects the power of a long-term commitment to change while highlighting the persistence of barriers that remain disproportionately placed in women:
“In the 17 years since I first started working in the industry, there has certainly been a positive movement towards improving the representation of women in the maritime industry. There is however still a lot of work that needs to be done.
“The maritime sector has been a historically male-dominated sector and it will take time to change this. There are some excellent initiatives led by bodies such as WISTA and the IMO that are working on making progress towards achieving greater representation of women across the sector, but there remain a number of barriers which still tend to apply more predominantly to women — including systemic gender bias and family responsibilities.
“A definite positive advancement has been increased visibility — both of the issue generally but also in terms of making girls and young women aware of what careers in maritime are available to them. I have also seen more women over the years taking leadership roles in maritime companies. However, they remain significantly underrepresented.
“In terms of what can be done to address this issue, there are many strategies that can be implemented, but two key strategies, include:
1. Continuing to work on increasing visibility.
2. Companies and organisations in the maritime sector need to look at what can be done to remove some of the key barriers to women — for example, implementing flexible or hybrid working environments and ensuring women feel supported to progress and attain senior positions.”
CJC’s female Directors are not just voices of influence, they are proof of what inclusive leadership looks like in practice. In February 2025, CJC proudly announced that 60% of newly appointed Directors over the past year were women. This achievement is part of a longer journey — one that requires sustained commitment, honest conversations, and collective action.
On this IMO International Day for Women in Maritime, CJC honours the women leading the charge, the men supporting the mission, and the importance of championing diversity every day — not just today.