Paving the Way for Female Mariners

Posted by Paul "Chip" Jaenichen on Fast Lane, The Official Blog of the U.S. Department of Transportation:

One of the United States Maritime Administration’s top priorities is to recruit, empower and support women in the maritime industry.

We’ve established two different diversity committees at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) to increase the number of female midshipmen and faculty members. It’s also why the Department of Transportation (DOT) has created the Women and Girls Program, which encourages women to pursue transportation careers.

MARAD recognizes that women are an untapped resource in an industry that needs new professionals. And that’s why, last week, we hosted the annual Women on the Water (WOW) conference in Throggs Neck, NY.

This three-day event offered a chance for young women to learn about exciting maritime careers and current issues affecting the maritime industry. Female cadets from federal and state maritime academies and colleges throughout the nation met professional women already working in the industry. By networking and hearing first-hand what it’s like for women working in this field, participants are one step ahead as they enter the working world.

Through the WOW conference, Women in Transportation Careers, and other DOT outreach programs, the Department has made significant strides in attracting more women to careers in transportation.

We see the effects in the maritime industry. Although women remain a minority, they’re in key positions like we’ve never seen before.

For example, women recently made-up the entire leadership team aboard the 800-foot container ship, Horizon Spirit, with females occupying its top three bridge posts. This ship carried 900 containers with a 25-member crew from the Port of Los Angeles to Honolulu Harbor. Although not the norm, all female teams reflect the gains women have made in maritime.

Just look at the Military Sealift Command (MSC) vessel the USS Wally Schirra.  There were enough women aboard to staff the replenishment fuel team for the Guided Missile destroyer USS Truxton in the Arabian Gulf. And earlier this year at MARAD, we were proud to welcome Rear Admiral Susan L. Dunlap as the first female Deputy Superintendent at USMMA.

These women are paving a path for the next wave of young women who will follow in their footsteps.  I have no doubt women will continue to transform the maritime industry. And MARAD will be there to encourage and support their progress.

Chip Jaenichen is Acting Administrator of the Maritime Administration.