The Arab Women in Maritime Association (AWIMA) has finalized a five-year regional strategy and action plan to boost women’s participation in the maritime industry.
The strategy was the outcome of a week-long regional workshop in Alexandria, Egypt (27–31 July), co-organized by the Egyptian Authority for Maritime Safety and the International Maritime Organization (IMO), supported by the World Maritime University (WMU). It will be further considered by relevant authorities.
Over 30 female maritime officials joined from across the Arab region, representing transport ministries, maritime authorities and training institutes, marking a milestone in embedding women’s leadership in the region’s maritime sector.
Opening the event, IMO Deputy Director of Technical Cooperation and Implementation Division (TCID), Ms Louise Proctor outlined IMO’s strategic goals: “Let us keep in mind our global vision: a maritime sector that is safe, secure, environmentally sound, and inclusive, where women and men can contribute equally and lead confidently.”
Rear Admiral Hussien Mostafa Elgezery, Chairman of the Egyptian Authority for Maritime Safety, added, “We firmly believe that the participation of women in all fields, from maritime operations to management and administration, will lead to positive results and sustainable development that will reflect across all areas of the maritime industry.”
Addressing regional barriers
The workshop highlighted specific challenges faced by women in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, including limited policy development, non-inclusive recruitment practices, lack of gender-disaggregated data and cultural restrictions such as unconscious bias and entrenched gender stereotypes.
Participants examined ways to tackle the barriers, aligning regional efforts with IMO’s global objectives and its Women in Maritime programme. Possible solutions included boosting visibility for women in leadership roles, supporting policy reforms (such as inclusive hiring policies) and leveraging both IMO technical cooperation for capacity development and partnerships with training institutions. These were incorporated into the regional strategy and action plan.
The event included a site visit to Egypt's AIDA IV training ship.
Arab Women in Maritime Association elections
The workshop concluded with AWIMA’s Annual General Meeting, where a new President and Governing Council were elected. The group also began development of a new AWIMA Constitution and internal by-laws, to provide a transparent governance structure for the association. Members agreed to nominate representatives for both the regional council and their national chapters, to drive the implementation of the regional strategy and action plan.
AWIMA is one of eight Women in Maritime Associations (WIMAs) established by IMO in Africa, Arab States, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America and the Pacific. These professional networks, which cover 152 countries and dependent territories and nearly 500 participants, work to improve gender balance in the maritime sector.