Women have a place in the maritime sector

Roberto Linares, Administrator of the AMP, chairs the forum next to the leading international representatives, Darling Rojas, Pamela Tamsey and Pedro San Miguel.

From women’s suffrage in 1838 on Pitcairn Island (a British colony) freedom of women and their role in the economy has grown. Their role today is unquestionable and although there are still differences, in recent years the incursion of women into positions of responsibility has increased. In the maritime industry it is the same.

Women have been increasingly incorporated into the maritime sector. The Panama Maritime Authority (AMP) notes that in that institution, there are a total of 1,661 workers of whom 680 are women, i.e., 41% of the total workforce. “Of the existing nine departments, four are led by women,” said the Administrator of the AMP, Roberto Linares. With regard to the Panama Canal, undoubtedly one of the greatest generators of wealth in the country, 10,000 people are employed, of which 1,303 are women. The women occupy administrative and some operational positions. However, on the Board of the Panama Canal, composed of 11 directors, there are no women.

This data was obtained from the forum held from March 21 to 23 in the Radisson Hotel in Panama City, where the regional conference was held on “The Role of Women in Management Positions in the Maritime Sector.” The conference was organized jointly by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), COCATRAM and AMP, and sought to facilitate the organization of a Regional Cooperation Network for women managers in the maritime sector. It was an exchange of information within the context of their roles in their respective jobs. In addition, the network will promote the development of the needs and demands of women, taking into account the cultural elements that determine their access to training and career development. “The development of women in this sector has been slow, with the highest percentage of success in the areas of administrative, financial and customer service,” said Darling Rojas, Director of Training for the Central American Maritime Transport Commission COCATRAM.

The opening ceremony was attended by the Administrator of the AMP, Roberto Linares, the Chief of the Latin American and Caribbean Technical Cooperation Committee of IMO, Pedro San Miguel, the Deputy Director of the Technical Cooperation Division of IMO, Pamela Tamsey and the Director of Education and Training of COCATRAM, Darling Rojas.

The event also brought together over 70 representatives from 17 countries, including Argentina, Mexico, Brazil and Uruguay.