44 years of maritime female power

Around 160 guests attended the event at the Altonaer Kaispeicher in Hamburg, including the founder Erika Grambow, Hamburg’s Senator for Economic Affairs Melanie Leonhard, and the President of the German Shipowners’ Association Gaby Bornheim.

Franziska Eckhoff, current President of WISTA Germany, expressed her gratitude, thanking the Executive Board, all WISTA members, and sponsors who made the event possible.

WISTA Germany’s Origins

Founded on December 2, 1974, WISTA Germany is part of the international WISTA association. It began with a Christmas lunch in London for women in the tanker market, growing into a global network with nearly 4,000 members. Erika Grambow established the German branch after attending a shipbrokers’ lunch in London in 1980, organizing the first German lunch in 1981.

With over 200 members across Germany, WISTA includes professionals from all maritime sectors: ship owners, shipyards, charterers, brokers, banks, insurance professionals, classification societies, port authorities, analysts, researchers, and government officials. WISTA aims to provide networking and education opportunities through regular meetings, seminars, and social events.