Month: December 2024

The Women-In-Maritime Initiative

A few years ago, I gave a speech in an IMO International Maritime Institute (IMLI) discussion on women in the maritime industry. The IMLI Board of Studies had given me a scholarship to read my masters in 2006 (completion in 2007) so this seemed a good opportunity to give something back.

Today, I attended a similar-themed breakfast, She Leads the Seas. MaritimeMT, in Malta, organised this event as part of the MARMED project.

This get-together focused on the opportunities for women in the shipping industry.

MARMED

The MARMED project is a part of ERASMUS+. It aims to bridge the gap between the existing needs and the current skillset of Maritime Clusters Managers.

MARMED aims to look at upskilling of members of the industry. Other aims include:

  • Outlining an innovative professional profile for increased competitiveness of Maritime Clusters in the Mediterranean area; and
  • Overall, boosting innovation and sustainable growth in the Blue Economy sector.

THE EVENT

This in-person seminar included:

  • an outline of the project,
  • a discussion on the role of women in the maritime industry; and
  • a good overview of available opportunities.

Women are still widely under-represented in the maritime industry. Only 22% of the industry workers are female. There are many actions that the industry can take to change this balance.

The audience included IMLI students, various professionals and lecturers from the industry and officials from the Flag, Transport Malta.

Participants of the meeting also touched upon Women in Transport – EU Platform for change. The objective of this Platform, launched on 27 November 2017, is to strengthen women’s employment and equal opportunities for women and men in the transport sector through the actions brought about by the Platform members. It will also serve as a forum to discuss and exchange good practices.

REMEMBERING – INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR WOMEN IN SHIPPING

The IMO Resolution A.1170(32) of 09 December 2021, established the 18th May as the IMO International Day for Women in Maritime.

OHSA – A New Law on Safety & Security at the Workplace

The Occupational Health & Safety Authority (OHSA) has recently issued a leaflet to outline the basic tenets of the new law. In case you missed it or are not in Malta, here are the key points.

Every worker counts and every worker can contribute to the safety and security of the place they work in. The main objectives of the new law are the following:

  1. Protecting mental and physical health of workers across all sectors
  2. Implementing stronger measures and mechanisms
  3. Fostering a prevention culture among workers and employers alike

Key responsibilities:

  1. Responsibilities of the OHSA
    • Allocating more resources to operate effectively
    • Enhancing skills and competences of its own workforce
    • Introducing new legal measures for rapid intervention in high-risk situations
    • Modernising operational procedures for more effective oversight
    • Health & Safety Responsible Officer – when neccessary to receive reports and investigate, ensuring access for workers to continuous support at the workplace
    • Conducting life consultations nationwide to ensure sectoral improvements.
  2. Employer Liability
    • Risk and hazard identification
    • Assesment of impact of risks on workers’ health
    • Implementing necessary mesures to elimitate or control risks to workers’ health
    • Provide appropriate training and information to workers, based on their role
    • Ensuring competent supervision
  3. Employees’ Responsibilities
    • Cooperate with employer & team
    • Proper use of equipment supplied
    • Reporting of hazards
    • Engaging in continuous training
    • Adopting correct behaviour that does not endanger the team and themselves.

The OHSA offers a helpline – 158 – for more information or any difficulties.

If you are an employer seeking to draft your policies and procedures from this perspective and require assistance, contact us for a consultation. We can provide assistance with preparing your handbooks, policies and procedures, or provide a review based on the size of your operation and workforce.