KINGSTON, Jamaica — At a ceremony marking 50 years of Jamaica’s membership in the International Maritime Organization (IMO), senior government officials have reaffirmed the island nation’s dedication to building a more inclusive maritime sector that unlocks the full potential of under-represented groups, particularly women.
Kedesha Rochester, Permanent Secretary of Jamaica’s Ministry of Energy, Transport and Telecommunications, outlined the country’s commitment amid stark global data: women currently hold just over 1% of all seafarer roles worldwide, making the sector one of the most gender-imbalanced professional fields globally. To mark the annual International Day for Women in Maritime (IDWM) on May 18, Jamaica will join international efforts to shine a light on women’s often-overlooked contributions to the industry, while drawing attention to the persistent barriers they face in this male-dominated space.
Rochester explained that the day’s core mission extends far beyond celebration. It is designed to drive tangible progress: boosting recruitment of women into maritime roles, supporting their long-term retention and stable employment, raising public and industry awareness of women’s work in the sector, and reinforcing the IMO’s alignment with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5, which targets full gender equality globally.
There are already encouraging signs of progress on Jamaica’s end, Rochester noted. Currently, women make up 23% of all students enrolled in the seafarers programme at the Caribbean Maritime University (CMU), a figure far outpacing the global average for women working in the field.
Beyond entry-level training, Rochester emphasized that IDWM serves as a critical global platform to push for systemic change. The initiative encourages male colleagues to act as allies in building more inclusive workplaces, and fosters the diverse, sustainable industry that the global economy needs. Crucially, it highlights that women’s value to maritime extends far beyond on-ship roles: they bring essential expertise to shore-based offices, policy development teams, and C-suite leadership positions across the sector.
Jamaica’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Kamina Johnson Smith echoed this enthusiasm, welcoming the IDWM initiative and noting that Jamaica is already proud to see women holding senior leadership positions across multiple areas of the domestic maritime sector, including regulation, education, and public administration.
“I want to take this opportunity to salute the women in [the] maritime sector. We thank them for their sterling and ongoing contribution to the development of the industry,” Johnson Smith said.
Looking ahead, the 2026 observance of IDWM will center on the theme “From Policy to Practice: Advancing Gender Equality for Maritime Excellence”, focusing on turning formal commitments to inclusion into tangible, on-the-ground change for women across the global maritime industry.