Shipping can broaden its seafaring talent pool by recruiting more women, BIMCO’s Ship Manager Advisory Panel heard at its latest gathering. With women representing only 1.2% of the world’s seafarers, the panel described the current composition of the workforce as a clear opportunity for industry change.
The panel met on 25 September 2026 to examine recruitment and welfare matters affecting shipboard teams. Sources indicated the meeting on 7 October 2026, noting the emphasis on both inclusion and the protection of crew rights.
A strikingly low share
Panel members drew attention to the 1.2% figure as evidence that the industry has so far under‑utilised a very large pool of potential talent. They discussed how targeted recruitment of women could increase the numbers available to managers and owners without requiring wholly new training infrastructures.
Discussion at the meeting framed greater female participation as a means to widen the candidate base and to bring a broader range of skills and perspectives onto ships. Delegates considered recruitment not only as filling vacancies but as an opportunity to make the seafaring profession more representative.
Fair treatment amid legal and operational pressures
Alongside recruitment, the panel treated crew welfare as a pressing workforce concern, specifically the need to ensure fair treatment for seafarers who face criminalisation or abandonment. The issue was presented as a continuing source of stress for seafarers and a matter that ship managers must factor into operational planning.
The meeting examined how legal exposure and abandonment cases affect crew morale, retention and the industry’s reputation, and underlined that fair, consistent responses are important to maintain trust in seafaring careers. Ensuring that seafarers are protected when they are most vulnerable was discussed as complementary to efforts to attract new entrants, including women.
The panel considered recruitment and welfare together, portraying them as linked priorities for ship managers. Delegates argued that improving protections for crew and actively broadening recruitment could reinforce one another by making seafaring a more secure and attractive career choice.
Key facts from the panel meeting included:
- Women accounted for 1.2% of seafarers.
- The Ship Manager Advisory Panel met on 25 September 2026.
- The panel discussed recruitment of women seafarers and fair treatment for crew facing criminalisation or abandonment.
Panel members set out the question of how to translate recognition of the opportunity into practical steps that ship managers can adopt. While the meeting highlighted the scope for change, it also acknowledged the complexity of altering long‑standing recruitment patterns and of addressing legal and welfare failings for seafarers.
The report of the meeting, as published by reports, positions the topics as central to the Ship Manager Advisory Panel’s current agenda. The combination of a very low female share of seafarers and ongoing welfare challenges prompted the panel to call for greater attention from the industry and those who work with and regulate it.
If shipping intends to make use of the wider talent pool signalled by the panel, managers will need to consider both recruitment practice and how to safeguard seafarers at sea. The panel’s discussion serves as a timely reminder that workforce strategy and crew protections remain decisive issues for the sector.
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