The Arab Women in Maritime Association (AWIMA), through its General Secretariat hosted by the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport (AASTMT) in Alexandria, celebrated the International Day for Women in Maritime 2026, organized annually by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) on 18 May, under the theme: “From Policy to Practice: Powering Maritime Excellence”

Tuesday, 19 May 2026

The Arab Women in Maritime Association (AWIMA), through its General Secretariat hosted by the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport (AASTMT) in Alexandria, celebrated the International Day for Women in Maritime 2026, organized annually by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) on 18 May, under the theme:
“From Policy to Practice: Powering Maritime Excellence”
This celebration reflects the importance of strengthening the role of women across all areas of the maritime industry and supporting their active participation in achieving sustainable development and institutional excellence within the global maritime sector.
At the opening of the event, Ms. Noorah Algethami, President of the Arab Women in Maritime Association (AWIMA), delivered the opening remarks, during which she emphasized the growing role of Arab women in the maritime sector and the importance of investing in women’s capacity-building, leadership, and professional participation opportunities.
She also praised the significant support provided by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to women empowerment programmes in the maritime sector at both regional and international levels.
Furthermore, she highlighted AWIMA’s ongoing efforts to strengthen cooperation among Arab countries, support female maritime professionals, and enhance women’s participation in line with IMO’s vision and the Sustainable Development Goals.
In this context, the AWIMA General Secretariat organized an awareness seminar entitled:
“The International Maritime Organization (IMO)… The Backbone of the Global Maritime Sector”
The seminar was held under the kind patronage of: H.E. Prof. Dr. Ismail Abdel Ghaffar Ismail Farag President of the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport.
The seminar was delivered by: Captain Emad Rashid Khafagy, Dean of the IMO Compound at the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport.
The seminar addressed the role and structure of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), its main committees and international conventions, as well as its efforts in maritime safety, marine environmental protection, and capacity-building. It also highlighted IMO’s initiatives in supporting and empowering women in the maritime sector and the role of the Arab Women in Maritime Association (AWIMA) within the global Women in Maritime network.
The seminar emphasized the importance of increasing awareness of the international maritime system among Arab women working in the maritime sector and enhancing their participation in technical, administrative, and leadership positions in line with IMO’s vision and the Sustainable Development Goals.
The event also featured a recorded message by Ms. Mariana Noceti from the International Maritime Organization (IMO), in which she reaffirmed IMO’s continuous support for Arab women working in the maritime sector and stressed the importance of enhancing women’s participation and empowerment across various maritime specializations and leadership positions.
She also commended the important role played by the Arab Women in Maritime Association (AWIMA) in supporting the Arab maritime women’s network and strengthening regional and international cooperation.
This celebration comes as part of AWIMA’s continuous efforts to support and empower Arab women and strengthen their presence and contribution to the development of the maritime sector regionally and internationally.