Maersk’s Equal at Sea Initiative Boosts Gender Diversity Among Indian Cadets

Maersk has made significant strides in closing the gender gap within its workforce, particularly in India. The company’s Equal at Sea initiative has led to a substantial increase in the number of female cadets, with the figure rising from 41 in 2021 to over 350 this year. The percentage of women cadets in the nautical and engineering streams has also seen a boost, reaching 45% in the latest intake. This advancement not only enhances diversity within Maersk’s seafarers population in India but also brings the company closer to achieving its goal of equal gender representation among cadets by 2027.

Launched in 2022 with a focus on the Indian market, the Equal at Sea initiative aims to promote gender equality among Maersk’s seafarers and address the historical underrepresentation of women in the maritime industry. A 2022 study by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association (WISTA) revealed that women make up only 29% of the overall workforce in the maritime sector, with a mere 2% of approximately two million seafarers worldwide being women. An updated report is anticipated next year when the results of the 2024 Women in Maritime survey are published by IMO and WISTA.

Karan Kochhar, Head of Marine People, Asia at Maersk, emphasized the collaborative effort that has led to the increased participation of women in seafaring careers in India. Achieving a 45% representation of female cadets has been a significant milestone not only for Maersk but also for the industry as a whole. Kochhar stressed the importance of maintaining this momentum and ensuring the retention of women recruits in the fleet. The success of the Equal at Sea program in India has had a notable impact on Maersk’s global efforts to enhance gender diversity, with the number of women seafarers in the company’s fleet more than doubling from 295 in 2021 to over 650 in 2024. Consequently, the percentage of women in Maersk’s global seafarer pool has risen from 2.3% in 2022 to 5.5% in 2024.

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