KUALA LUMPUR: More Malaysian women should seek a career in the male-dominated maritime industry, says Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.

       “It is time for women to buckle up and embrace the maritime sector’s diverse and rewarding career prospects,” the Transport Minister said when launching the International Day for Women in Maritime 2022.

       He said women in the industry should break the glass ceiling, be competent workers and unite in associations to change the entrenched social and cultural bias against them in maritime careers.

       Dr Wee noted this was the first time International Maritime Organisation (IMO) declared May 18 as the International Day for Women in Maritime.

       He said the dedicated day would be marked as a platform for women to learn and support each other.

       “Although women contribute to various maritime fields both on land and sea, women’s participation percentage in the industry is still relatively small.

       “It is often a challenge for women to advance onto higher skills development programmes when at work due to family commitments,” he said, acknowledging some of the challenges women faced.

       Making waves: Yasmin talking to a group of UMT martime degree undergraduates during the International Day for Women in Maritime 2022 launch.

       Maritime Department deputy director Dr Yasmin Mohd Hasni believes there is still ample room for women to serve in the industry.

       “The ratio of women and men in the country is almost equal. Yet only 2% of those working the maritime industry are women,” she said.

       “The Straits of Malacca is one of the busiest waterways globally that offers a myriad of job opportunities.

       “Imagine, we live next to the sea, a highway for more than 80,000 ships passing through every year. There are employment opportunities that pay well,” she added.

       Meanwhile, Perak lass Nurul Fakhira Zulfian, 22, said she is pursuing her nautical science degree at Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT).

       “Both my parents are teachers and wanted me to become a teacher too. But I couldn’t imagine myself facing a classroom full of children every morning.

       “I wanted to do something different, and my parents eventually supported my ambition,” the eldest of four siblings from Bidor said.

       Nurul Fakhira has always been fascinated by science and developed a love for sea charts after taking the degree.

       In his message earlier, IMO secretary-general Kitack Lim lauded Malaysia’s effort to encourage more women to helm the industry.

       He urged every Malaysian woman to take advantage of the IMO Gender Network programmes through Malaysia’s Women in Maritime Association.

       In December 2021, Malaysia was re-elected to the IMO Assembly for the ninth consecutive term as a council member under Category C for the 2022-2023 biennium.

       Voting took place during the IMO 32nd General Assembly at the headquarters in London.