Theme: “An Ocean of Opportunities”
The Ministry of Public Works, Meteorological Services and Transport (MPWMST) in collaboration with the Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji (MSAF) and the Fiji Women In Maritime Association (Fiji WIMA) proudly joins the international community in celebrating the 2025 International Day for Women in Maritime under the theme “An Ocean of Opportunities.” This day shines a spotlight on the crucial role of women in all aspects of the maritime sector and reinforces our collective commitment to greater gender equality across global shipping, ports, fisheries, and ocean governance.
History of the International Day for Women in Maritime.
In 2021, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted a resolution officially designating 18 May as the International Day for Women in Maritime (ID4WIM). As IMO has stated, the purpose of this day is to “celebrate women in the industry, promote the recruitment, retention, and sustained employment of women in the maritime sector, raise the profile of women in maritime, strengthen IMO’s commitment to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5, and support work to address the current gender imbalance in maritime.”
Fiji is proud to have co-sponsored the paper that led to the adoption of this resolution and wholeheartedly supported the recognition of this important international day. This observance now serves as a powerful platform to honour the contributions of women and to drive forward the global agenda for gender equality in maritime.
Fiji’s Women Advancing Maritime Development
Female officers from the Ministry and the Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji (MSAF) continue to represent Fiji with distinction at International Maritime Organization (IMO) meetings—shaping international policy on maritime safety, decarbonisation, and equitable transition for Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
Women also support operations onboard government vessels, contribute to search and rescue, and serve in frontline duties within the Republic of Fiji Navy. At Fiji Ports Corporation Limited (FPCL), women coordinate logistics and marine services at key ports. In the Ministry of Fisheries, women lead sustainable resource management, monitoring, and compliance.
At the Biosecurity Authority of Fiji (BAF) and the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service (FRCS), female officers are vital in safeguarding Fiji’s maritime borders and ensuring legal trade. Within the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change – Oceans Division, women are shaping national ocean policies, designing marine spatial plans, coordinating blue carbon programs, and advocating for the protection of Fiji’s marine ecosystems under the National Ocean Policy.
We also acknowledge the contributions of female officers from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Defence, and the Republic of Fiji Navy, who continue to play a crucial role in the advancement of maritime boundary negotiations, ocean governance, and maritime security frameworks that safeguard Fiji’s sovereign interests and maritime entitlements.
Fiji Women in Maritime Association (Fiji WIMA)
The Fiji Women in Maritime Association (Fiji WIMA)—a national chapter of the IMO’s regional WIMA network—continues to be a beacon for women across the maritime sector. Through mentorship, leadership training, outreach, and advocacy, Fiji WIMA has empowered hundreds of women and young girls to enter and thrive in the maritime field. The Association’s enduring partnership with government, academia, and international agencies has contributed significantly to building a strong and visible community of women professionals across ports, fisheries, shipping, and marine law.
Global Perspective from the IMO-WISTA Women in Maritime Survey 2024
The 2024 IMO-WISTA Women in Maritime Survey found that women now comprise 19% of the public maritime sector workforce globally. The Pacific region leads with over 26% representation. However, only 1% of the seafarer workforce and less than 5% of maritime students are women—demonstrating a clear need for further action to address barriers such as safety, recruitment bias, and underrepresentation in leadership. Encouragingly, the report notes increased female participation in new sectors like ESG and maritime decarbonisation, signalling promising new opportunities for women in ocean-related fields.
A Call for Continued Empowerment and Gender Equality
Fiji remains deeply committed to advancing gender inclusion across all levels of the maritime and ocean economy. The Ministry will continue to support policy reform, leadership development, accommodative work environments, and capacity-building to ensure that women in maritime thrive.
As we honour the exceptional women serving in our maritime agencies, let us be reminded—in the spirit of this year’s theme, “An Ocean of Opportunities”—that unlocking women’s potential is not only a matter of equity, but a strategic imperative for a resilient, sustainable maritime future.
Fiji’s Delegation to the IMO Meetings
Ministry of Fisheries Officials
P.C. Ministry of Fisheries, Fiji
P.C. Biosecurity of Fiji – BAF