Empowering women in maritime at Port of Durban
World Maritime Day celebrates the international maritime industry’s contribution towards the world’s economy, especially in shipping. This year’s global theme was, ‘Empowering Women in the Maritime Community’.
SOUTH Africa’s ports under the custodianship of Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) rolled out an array of activities to mark World Maritime Day on Thursday, 26 September.
Created by the United Nations (UN) through the International Maritime Organization (IMO), World Maritime Day celebrates the international maritime industry’s contribution to the world’s economy, especially in shipping. This year’s global theme was, ‘Empowering Women in the Maritime Community’ and it provided an opportunity for the South African port landlord to reflect on the contributions of women in the sector and to promote its achievements in terms of gender equality in an industry historically dominated by males.
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At the Port of Durban’s head office, General Manager for Port of Durban, Moshe Motlohi unveiled ‘Women in Maritime’ floor decals as well as the ‘Wall of Anchors’ portraits beautifully drawn by the port’s very own Samukelo Gasa, a civil engineer at TNPA.
TNPA’s acting chief executive, Nozipho Mdawe, said TNPA would continue to keep the women’s empowerment agenda on the table, as encouraged by the IMO secretary-general at the International Maritime Organization’s 2019 World Maritime Parallel Event in Colombia recently, which she attended alongside the Minister of Transport, Fikile Mbalula and industry principals.
She said it was also an exciting development that South Africa would be hosting the 2020 World Maritime Parallel Event in the port city of Durban next year during Transport Month in October. The South African chapter of the Association of Women Managers in the Maritime Sector in Eastern and Southern Africa (WOMESA), would also be relaunched by the Deputy Minister of Transport by the end of this year, to spearhead the advancement of women as a key resource in the maritime sector.
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“TNPA will be calling for membership soon and will be closely involved in the re-establishment of WOMESA to promote gender equity, improve women’s access to maritime training and technology and to promote their advancement to key decision-making levels in the maritime sector in Eastern and Southern Africa,” she said.
Speaking during the busy week for the port authority, Mdawe said: “We are reminded of the important role we play as custodian of the South African port system in preserving and building upon the strong history of shipping in South Africa. Yet at the same time, we are focused on carving out a new maritime future that is more inclusive and accessible to all South Africans. This ‘new’ maritime outlook includes a strong focus on the development of women and other previously disadvantaged groups.”
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