Tribute to 100 maritime women
Every year on this day, we celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women despite the challenges they face. This has great relevance for the maritime & shipping industry.
A lot of things are changing in the maritime & shipping industry. Hence why the industry is adapting and innovating in response to new challenges such as climate change, digitalization, and workforce shortage.
Kitack Lim, IMO’s Secretary-General stated: “This transformation needs the best talent – and that means embracing diversity and ensuring that any barriers to participation are broken down.” Read his statement.
In this regard, an interesting topic to discuss is women in the maritime & shipping industry. Women represent an estimated 1,2% of the world’s seafarer workforce but data on how many women work in the global maritime industry is non-existent.
It’s no secret, that the maritime & shipping industry is a male-dominated industry. There’s a long way to go, and we need to prioritize diversity and inclusion to ensure equal opportunities for everyone.
It’s true that the industry has become more tolerant, the gender gap became smaller, and more women aspire for more, where they level up and take management positions.
But even we do better than 10 years ago, it’s still essential to raise awareness of the importance of gender equality and highlight the valuable contribution of women all over the world to the maritime industry.
At MARPRO we recognize the important contribution of such women, and we think that giving them some exposure can help moving the industry “a little bit” forward today.
Every year, the British media Allaboutshipping.co.uk reveals a list of top 100 women in the shipping industry. A list consisting of admirable and prominent women, who’s career and hard work are recognized and have made a significant change in the industry.
100 women out of 1350 participating women share the top 100 places. MARPRO congratulates all the involved, both top 100 women and all the participating women for their work. Also, thanks to allaboutshipping.co.uk and Anny Zade for recognizing the contribution of women in the industry, making diversity a MUST.
The full ranking - TOP 100 WOMEN IN SHIPPING 2021
1.Semiramis S. Paliou, CEO Diana Shipping Inc., President of HELMEPA, Greece
2.Dr. Marina Papaioannou, Head of the Maritime Academy Hellas, Maritime Service Centre & Advisory at DNV GL Maritime, Greece
3.Sabrina Chao, Wah Kwong Maritime Transport, Hong Kong and President of BIMCO
4.Mia Krogslund Jørgensen, Head of People, Culture and Strategy at HAFNIA, Denmark
5.Katharina Stanzel, Managing Director at Intertanko, London, United Kingdom
6.Elvia Bustavino, lawyer and General Secretary in the Panama Maritime Authority, Panama
7.Mary Carmen Barrios, Senior Vice President for Ports, Terminals and Stevedoring Ops for Europe, Middle East & Africa at Wallenius Wilhelmsen
8.Karen Martin, Commercial Director, London International Shipping Week (LISW)
9.Nicola Good, Journalist and Global Head of Brand & External Relations Marine & Offshore at Lloyd’s Register, UK
10.Dr. Helen Thanopoulou, Professor at the University of the Aegean at the Department of Shipping, Trade and Transport, Greece
11.Elpi Petraki, president WISTA Hellas as well as president of WISTA International, Chartering Manager at ENEA Management Inc., II Vice President at EENMA, Greece
12. Dorothea Ioannou, CEO The American P&I Club – the first female for over a century and WISTA Hellas member
13.Katerina A. Mahera, Commercial director in Greece for Q88
14.Melina Travlos, Head of Neptune Lines Shipping and Managing Enterprises, Head of Neptune Dry and President of the Union of Greek Shipowners – the first female president in over a century
15.Danae Bezantakou, CEO at Navigator Shipping Consultants, Secretary at the International Propeller Club Port of Piraeus, founder YES Forum, and president iforU, Greece
16.Despina Panagiotou – Theodosiou, former WISTA International president and CEO Tototheo Group, Cyprus
17.Captain Helen Peter Davis, a ship’s officer, a college lecturer, a solicitor at Hill Dickinson, and WISTA UK BoD member
18.Maria J. Angelikousis, CEO Angelikoussis Group., Greece
19.Lesley Bankes-Hughes, publisher, director of publishing, Petrospot Ltd (Bunkerspot and ship.energy), UK
20.Katerina Raptakis, heading the IT Department of Navios Group of Companies, Greece
21.Elina Souli, lawyer, Deputy Head of the Britannia Piraeus Office and WISTA Hellas Secretary-General
22.Pailette Palaiologou, Vice President, Marine & Offshore Division, Hellenic, Black Sea & Adriatic Zone, Bureau Veritas Hellas A.E., Greece
23.Elena Sendona, Fashion designer and journalist, the heart and soul in fashionality and beyondgreeksalad, hospitality, tourism including maritime tourism, Greece
24.Maria-Christina Ktistakis, CFO Genimar Shipping & Trading S.A. and WISTA Hellas former President
25.Eleni Letoni, Communications, Sales & Marketing Co-ordinator for Greece, Cyprus & Malta, CSR officer at SEEBA Zone, Bureau Veritas Hellas, Piraeus, Greece
26.Jillian Carson-Jackson, ex – President of The Nautical Institute, United Kingdom
27. Maria Karahaliou, PA to GEMA Marine Manager Marine Internal Training Coordinator at Lloyd’s Register EMEA, Greece
28. Suzanna P. Laskaridis, Director Lavinia Group, Laskaridis Shipping Co. Ltd. and founder Real Time Graduates, Greece
29. Natalia Margioli, Head of HMC and ICS Piraeus Branch, Greece
30. Anna Vourgos, co-founder Aphentrica Marine Insurance Brokers and former WISTA Cyprus President
31.Philippa Charlton, Chief Marketing Officer of Lloyd’s Register and member of the Executive Leadership team, UK
32.Daphne Angelidou, president WISTA Argentina and CEO at Agencia Maritima Intercontinental, Argentina
33.Frances Baskerville, Senior Vice President of CIRM, London, United Kingdom
34.Katerina Skourtanioti, managing director, Venlys Greece
35.Prof. Averil MacDonald, OBE, DSc, DUniv, FRSA Deputy Master of the Worshipful Company of Fuellers and Freelance Diversity and Inclusion Consultant, United Kingdom
36. Ioanna Prokopiou, CEO Sea Traders and founder of Prominence Maritime S.A., Athens, Greece
37. Claudia Ohlmeier, DNV, Head of Section Class Systematics Data and Operation Centre at DNV in Hamburg, former president of WISTA Germany
38. Heidi Heseltine, co-founder of the Diversity Group and Halcyon Recruitement, United Kingdom
39. Susan Terpilowski, OBE, Founder Image Line and former president WISTA UK
40. Dr. Sasha Heriot, Business Development and Portfolio Manager, Wärtsilä Corporation
41. Helle Hammer, CEFOR, Represents Cefor in external forums such as stakeholder committees in Bureau Veritas, RINA & DNV GL, and as a Board member of the Norwegian Maritime Forum. Chair of the IUMI Policy Forum, and Secretary to the Cefor Technical Forum, Norway
42. Claire N. Tsavliris, Tsavliris Salvage Group
43. Sanjam Sahi Gupta, founder of Maritime SheEO also the director for Sitara Shipping (India)
44.Anna-Maria Monogioudis, Director, Aegean Protective Coatings, Piraeus, Greece and WISTA Hellas former president
45.Nikisha Reagan, Master Freight Broker at NR Swanks Freight Brokerage LLC
46. Sinikka Hartonen, Secretary General of OneSea
47.Kristie Loutsiou, PA to Professor C. Th. Grammenos, Administrator for the Centre for Shipping, Trade and Finance at BAYES Business School (former CASS Business School), United Kingdom
48.Lady Teresa M Stevens, Founder and Director, Guardian Maritime Limited, UK
49.Teresa Peacock, Managing Director Spinnaker Global and WISTA UK
50. Dr. Anne Marie Warris, founder ecoreflect Ltd, United Kingdom
51.Unni Einemo, director of IBIA, IBIA’s representative at the IMO
52.Angeliki Frangou, CEO of Navios, Greece
53. Anne H. Steffensen, Director General of the Danish Shipowners Association, Denmark
54.Dorthe Bendtsen, Head of Corporate Services at global marine energy provider KPI OceanConnect
55.Katrina Davis, marine insurance broker at Gallaghers , United Kingdom
56. Greta Bedard, Société des Traversiers du Québec, in Canada
57. Debbi Bonner, founder of j-l-a media in UK
58. Martina Meinders – Michail, managing director at MSM, WISTA Cyprus member
59. Kathy Metcalf, CEO, Chamber of Shipping of America, USA
60. Monica Kohli, GARD (UK) Ltd office and WISTA UK president
61. Patty Apostolopoulou, Lloyd’s Register, United Kingdom and HESGB Secretary
62. Natasha Brown, Media and Communications at the IMO, London, United Kingdom
63.Shelagh Ingledow, Lloyd’s List Greek Shipping Awards and Greek Shipping Hall of Fame Events secretariat, Greece
64. Sadan Kaptanoglou, Kaptanoglu Shipping Group of Companies, ex-President & Chairperson of the Board, BIMCO, Turkey
65. Zoe Upson, FACT Director of Freight and Commodity Talent, and Founder of WOMEN TOGETHER.
66. Milena Pappas, Commercial Director of Star Bulk Carriers Corp., Greece
67. Camila de Oliveira Diniz, HESGB Events, Brazil
68. Holly Birkett, of Tradewinds News
69. Maria Mavroudi, marine insurance broker and Founder of Searock Marine Insurance Brokers. Founder also of Kallichoron Boutique Hotel, Island of Astypalaia Greece, and former WISTA Hellas BoD Secretary
70. Makiko Toni, Deputy Manager, Cyber Security Team, ClassNK, Japan
71.Eleni Polychronopoulou, ERMA First and the full group of companies owned by them – also President of METIS and HEMEXPO, and Vice Chair of Sea Europe.
72. Isabella Ryckbost, ESPO secretary general, Brussels, Belgium
73. Carleen Lyden Walker, CEO at Morgan Marketing & Communications, IMO Goodwill Maritime Ambassador, NAMEPA, SHIPPINGInsight, WISTA USA
74. Artemis Vamvakopoulou, co-founder/managing partner at Exrovert Business Communications and Posidonia Exhibition Press Office, Greece
75. Olga Jaques, Business Development & Events Manager at Maritime London, UK
76. Sofia Falida, Business Development Manager at Polyeco Group, Greece
77. Maria Papadoyanne, Manager at Seascape Marine & Trading Ltd, WISTA Hellas, Greece
78. Sandra Spears, writer. The heart and mind of The Maritime Advocate
79. Michelle Wise Bockmann, Markets editor at Lloyd’s List
80. Sophia Konstantopoulou, Global Head of Marketing & Events at IBIA (International Bunkers Industry Association) in London and founder of GIWA (Greek International Women’s Awards)
81. Katerina Fitsiou, director and relationship manager at XRTC Greece and treasurer of the Association of Banking & Shipping Executives of Hellenic Shipping – the only woman in the board and long lasting member, Greece
82. Karin Orsel, Marin Ship Management BV and former WISTA International president, vice president ECSA and BIMCO BoD member representing The Netherlands
83.Evgenia Benavides, Terpel, WISTA Colombia and IBIA
84.Peggy Papastavrou, lawyer at ATHEX Exchange, WISTA Hellas member
85.Gina Panagiotou, lawyer, ESG Manager, responsible for leading its’ Environmental, Social and Governance Strategy at the West of England P&I Club, Founder of Oceans Arena, Concept Founder of It’s All about Shipping, journalist and WISTA UK Secretary
86. Maria M. Tripolitis, director PMS and Special Secretary at the Chios Marine Club, Greece
87. Olga Bornozis, Managing director at Capital Link, USA
88. Clare Gomes, Strategic Planning & Communications Executive at AMSOL, South Africa and WISTA South Africa President
89.Irene K. Notias, country manager for Sing Fuels, governor of the Propeller Club of Piraeus, founder of Project Connect and Adopt a Ship, Athens, Greece
90. Laia Politou, Attorney-at-Law, Claims and Insurance Manager at Goldenport Shipmanagement, Greece
91. Maria Angelidou, Manager at GAC Greece and former BoD member at WISTA-Hellas, Greece
92.Ida Stier, founder Stier Group, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands
93.Kira Phoenix K’inan, Glass Artist Photographer, Painter, Environmentalist and Glass Tutor, London, United Kingdom
94.Ana Irene Delgado, Senator in Panama, former Ambassador of Panama in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Iceland and member of Panama’s Olympic team in fencing, devoted participant at the annual Davos Forum, Panama;
95.Anna Kaparaki, Lecturer in Maritime Law at John Moores University, Liverpool, and Senior Solicitor at Mackinnons Solicitors LLP, United Kingdom
96. Mia Jensen, Greek director & events manager at Marine Money International
97. Jaqueline Burton, Kongsberg Maritime, Head of Creative Design, chair for the board for SAMS, Sustainable Autonomous Mobility Systems
98. Chrysoula Patrikiou, CEO & Founder of Potentia, Greece
99. Marina Tzoutzouraki, co-founder & CFO at eShipfinance, Athens, Greece;
and 100. Jean Grasso, attorney, partner at Black Rome LLP and WISTA USA board member USA
Article by Narjiss Ghajour, Event & Marketing Manager at MARPRO. Connect with Narjiss. Read more about MARPRO.
