MAJ Hails Outstanding Women in Maritime

The Maritime Authority of Jamaica (MAJ) is saluting women in maritime for their sterling contribution to the industry.

MAJ Director General, Bertrand Smith, tells JIS News that it is a timely opportunity to recognise the achievements of women, particularly the trailblazers, who have excelled at both maritime administration and seafaring.

He was speaking against the background of the observation of International Day for Women in Maritime 2024, which was observed on May 18 under the theme: ‘Safe Horizons: Women Shaping the Future of Maritime Safety’.

Mr. Smith cites the contribution of Board Chairperson of the MAJ, Corah Ann Robertson Sylvester, who is also Chief Executive Officer of Seaboard Freight and Shipping Jamaica Limited.

Mrs. Robertson Sylvester was elected President of the Shipping Association of Jamaica (SAJ) in November 2023, becoming the second woman to hold the position in the Association’s 85-year history.

In 2003, she became the first woman to be elected president of the Caribbean Shipping Association.

She is a member of the Caribbean Maritime University Council and was inducted in the SAJ Hall of Fame in 2021.

Another outstanding woman in maritime is Deputy Director General of the MAJ, Claudia Grant, who is Chair of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) sub-committee on Implementation of IMO Instruments (III).

Mrs. Grant was the inaugural president of the Women in Maritime Association Caribbean (WiMAC).

She was honoured in 2019 by her alma mater, the World Maritime University (WMU) with an Outstanding Alumna Award, which is reserved for graduates who have given exceptional service to the maritime industry.

Mr. Smith hails General Manager of Group Operations at Kingston Wharves Limited, Valrie Campbell, as a stalwart in the industry, who continues to “demonstrate tremendous leadership and commitment to the growth and development of the sector”.

Ms. Campbell was recently awarded the Outstanding Woman in the Maritime and Port Sectors by the Organization of American States (OAS) Inter-American Committee.

The MAJ Director General also has high commendation for the Jamaica Defence Force’s (JDF) Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Antonette Wemyss Gorman, pointing to her recent promotion to Vice Admiral as another achievement in her military maritime career.

The CDS, whose career spans 32 years, was appointed to lead the JDF in January 2022, becoming the first woman to hold that position.

She has also served as the first female commanding officer of the JDF Coast Guard and played a significant role in the establishment of the Caribbean Maritime Military Training Centre.

The MAJ Director General also pays homage to Superintendent of Pilotage at the Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ), Dr. Hortense Ross-Innerarity, who is Jamaica’s first Superintendent of Pilotage and has served in that position for the past 26 years.

A two-time graduate of the Caribbean Maritime University (CMU), she has completed studies in Marine Transportation and International Shipping and Logistics, and was awarded a scholarship by the Belgian Government to study Maritime Accessibility and Vessel Traffic Management.

She has also pursued studies in Maritime Pilotage, Maritime Management, International Maritime Business and Port Operations.

In her role at the Port Authority, Dr. Ross-Innerarity has oversight responsibility for the marine pilots, pilot dispatchers, apprentice pilots and a small administrative support staff.

“We extend thanks to these and other women in the maritime sector, who continue to shape the development of the sector and contribute to achieving Jamaica’s commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 (gender equality) and support work to address the current gender imbalance in maritime,” the MAJ Director General says.

With just 20 per cent of the workforce in maritime administration comprised of women and two per cent of seafarers are female, Mr. Smith says it is imperative for maritime administrations to support women in the industry and to encourage others to consider careers within the field.

He says studies show that gender diversity in the maritime decision-making process leads to better business outcomes.

“So, we need to correct these statistics by providing more training opportunities for women in the maritime industry as well as more visibility, which would mean supporting organisations like WiMAC and Women in Shipping Association (WISTA), which provide support to women in the maritime sector,” the Director General notes. These initiatives, he says, go hand in hand with recognising the contribution of women to the sector, including the unsung heroes who are also providing support and management.

“If we can build on those three legs (training, visibility and recognition), then we can improve the quality of shipping, whether it is the quality of seafarers that are working on ships or the quality of the ships on which the seafarers are engaged,” he contends.

Mr. Smith says the recent overturning of a barge in Tobago, which resulted in an oil spill, highlights the importance of improving quality of vessels and seafarers to ensure safe shipping.

“It is important that we have quality ships operating in our environment and that the seafarers that we are graduating from the CMU are employed. So, it’s not just about gender, but we are mindful of the need for gender diversity, which can only redound to the benefit of safe shipping,” Mr. Smith argues.

“Safety has been at the heart of the work of the IMO and by extension the MAJ, and we will continue to ensure the safe and secure operation of ships that carry our passengers, energy, and commodities on which our economy depends,” he pledges.