IMO : Strategic partnership to empower port women

More women are joining the maritime ranks in a variety of professions within the industry. To encourage this trend and with a view to continuing the momentum to empower women in the maritime community, IMO supported two virtual training courses aimed at female officials from maritime and port authorities.

Fifty women from developing countries, with a focus on Africa, Small Island Developing States (SIDS), and Least Developed Countries (LDCs), undertook a virtual Port Senior Management Programme (4 June to 21 July 2021), or a virtual Maritime and Port Security Programme (17 June to 21 July 2021), organized by the Galilee International Management Institute (GIMI) in Nahalal, Israel.

Over 12 sessions (22 hours), participants will be provided with key information and updates on innovations in the port industry. Subjects covered include global trends and advances in port development, management and operations; port security and efficiency in container terminals; and international law concerning ports and ships. The training will also examine key instruments including the IMO maritime security measures in SOLAS Chapter XI-2 and the ISPS Code, and the ILO/IMO Code of practice on security in ports

Owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, the course programme had to be adapted from the usual in-person training. Site visits to the Israeli Maritime Training Authority in Akko and practical simulator exercises were not included in the course programme.

The event was delivered through IMO’s Women in Maritime programme and the Global Maritime Security programme, in collaboration with GIMI. It comes as part of IMO’s continuous efforts to support the UN Sustainable Development Goal 5 to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. These capacity-building initiatives continue, through virtual training.

IMO’s Chris Trelawny delivered two presentations to participants (1 July). The first presentation on “IMO and Technical Cooperation”, highlighted how IMO works, its structure, development of regulations, implementation of regulations and how the IMO technical cooperation programme supports the Member States. The second presentation “A Wider Perspective on Maritime Security”, covered the development of maritime security measures at IMO, and how they are applied to support wider maritime development and the sustainable blue economy.