The International Day for Women in Maritime, which was launched four years ago by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), was celebrated in style again this year. On May 16, 2025, the Schleswig-Holstein Ministry of Economic Affairs, Transport, Employment, Technology and Tourism hosted a ceremony in Kiel.
This year’s motto, “A ocean full of opportunities for women in the maritime industry”, was accompanied by inspiring speeches, practice-oriented impulses and an exciting discussion about the future of women in the maritime industry.
The event kicked off with an impressive video by our colleague Fanny Löwenstrom. In the clip, she talked about her career path, the challenges on board and the joy of a profession that is (unfortunately) still considered an exception for many women. Fanny shows that a career in shipping is not only possible for women – it is enriching, exciting and absolutely sustainable. Later, she also inspired the panel discussion with her intelligent, empathetic and motivating contributions. She spoke openly about structural hurdles, but also about the courage to assert oneself – and emphasized the importance of networks, mutual support and visible role models.
The State Secretary in the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Transport, Labour, Technology and Tourism of Schleswig-Holstein, Julia Carstens, emphasized the importance of visibility and support for women in the maritime industry: “We need more women in shipping – on board and ashore.” Hanna Maurer and Karina Tammen from the German Maritime Center (DMZ) presented current figures on the proportion of women in the German shipping industry. According to these figures, the proportion of women on board German merchant ships is around 7.1%, which is well above the international average of around 2%. However, they emphasized that there is still a lot to be done to further promote equality.
A particular highlight was the inspiring presentation by Ms. Annette Suhrbier, now Sales Director at the Döhle Group. Last year, she was presented with the “Personality of the Year” award by WISTA Germany at SMM 2024. She gave an impressive account of her career, the challenges and opportunities for women in the maritime industry and motivated them to shape their own career paths with confidence.
The event in Kiel was an important step towards raising awareness of the importance of women in the maritime industry and discussing concrete measures to promote women in shipping. Nevertheless, it was emphasized that further efforts are needed to advance gender equality in the shipping industry.
Take another look at the contribution from our colleague Fanny Löwenstrom, HSEQ Officer, here:
