IMO-WISTA Women in Maritime Survey 2024

Survey results indicates ongoing gender disparity in the maritime sector, sparking renewed calls for action.

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The Women in Maritime survey 2024, jointly published by IMO and the Women's International Shipping & Trading Association (WISTA), provides new insights into gender diversity within the industry.

Download the full survey report here

The report presents data on the proportion and distribution of women working in the maritime sector from data gathered from IMO Member States and the private sector.

Key findings include:

  • The data covers a total of 176,820 women working in maritime across the public and private sectors in 2024 - an increase from 151,979 in 2021. 

  • Despite growth in the number of women covered by the survey, women account for just under 19% of the total workforce sampled, compared to a share of 26% in the catchment group reported in 2021.

  • Women account for 19% of the workforce of national maritime authorities in Member States, and only 16% of the surveyed private sector workforce (excluding seafarers). 

  • At sea, women remain vastly underrepresented, accounting for just 1% of the total number of seafarers employed by surveyed organisations.

The report goes beyond the numbers, offering actionable recommendations to help governments and industry leaders drive progress. These include:

  • Enhancing recruitment and retention strategies

  • Expanding mentorship and leadership development programs

  • Strengthening policy implementation

  • Ensuring safe, inclusive, and supportive work environments

By supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 (UN SDG 5) - to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls – this survey provides essential data to inform and inspire transformative change in the maritime industry.

Women in Maritime - IMO's gender programme

IMO’s gender programme is driving progress by creating opportunities for women across the global maritime sector. Read all the information here.