Egyptian Authority for Maritime Safety Celebrates the International Day for Women in Maritime

Wednesday, 13 May 2026

The Egyptian Authority for Maritime Safety organized an official celebration marking the International Day for Women in Maritime, in line with the International Maritime Organization’s annual observance of this important occasion and under the 2026 theme:
“From Policy to Practice: Powering Gender Equality for Maritime Excellence.”
This event reflected the Authority’s continued commitment to supporting and empowering women in the maritime sector, while strengthening their role across all maritime fields in a manner that contributes to institutional excellence and supports sustainable development goals.
The celebration also witnessed the active participation of members of the Egyptian National Chapter of the Arab Women in Maritime Association (AWIMA), as part of the national professional community supporting women’s empowerment within Egypt’s maritime sector. Their participation in the event and its specialized workshops reflected the importance of institutional cooperation among national stakeholders working to enhance women’s professional presence and leadership in maritime development.
This participation further highlighted the significant national role played by the Egyptian National Chapter of AWIMA in connecting female maritime professionals, supporting capacity-building initiatives, promoting professional awareness, and advancing the International Maritime Organization’s objectives for women’s empowerment.
The activities began on Tuesday, 12 May 2026, with two specialized workshops. The first workshop addressed the International Maritime Organization’s policies on women’s empowerment and explored mechanisms for translating these policies into national regulations and practical institutional procedures, thereby reinforcing professional equality and improving workplace environments.
The second workshop, titled “Challenges Facing Women in the Maritime Sector,” focused on discussing the main professional and practical challenges encountered by women working in maritime, while presenting practical recommendations and solutions to strengthen empowerment opportunities and improve institutional support systems.
In addition, the Authority launched a dedicated survey entitled “Challenges Facing Women in the Maritime Sector” to identify the key obstacles facing women professionals in the field and determine the support required in the areas of empowerment, occupational safety, professional development, and workplace improvement.
During the celebration, the Chairman of the Authority emphasized that Egyptian women represent an essential pillar of the maritime workforce, praising their valuable contributions across technical, administrative, maritime safety, and institutional development roles. He reaffirmed that supporting and empowering women remains a strategic priority within the Authority’s broader vision for institutional development and excellence.
The event also included honoring four distinguished female employees from the Authority in recognition of their outstanding professional contributions and positive impact within the workplace.
Additionally, two inspiring professional experiences were presented by young female maritime officers working aboard commercial vessels:
Abla Eid – Second Maritime Officer
Samaa Farouk – Second Maritime Officer
These presentations highlighted successful Egyptian female role models and showcased women’s growing contribution to Egypt’s maritime transport sector.
At the conclusion of the event, the results of both the workshops and the survey were presented as a foundation for developing practical recommendations aimed at strengthening women’s participation in the maritime sector and promoting a more inclusive, sustainable, and equitable working environment.
The Egyptian Authority for Maritime Safety reaffirmed that women’s empowerment is a fundamental pillar in the development of the maritime sector, and that cooperation among national institutions — including the Egyptian National Chapter of AWIMA — represents a practical model for advancing women’s participation and supporting Egypt’s maritime future.