Sponsored By

Short sea shipping could be the right first move for women

A sign that times are changing is that young people believe that all people are equal and that diversity is a given, according to Elpi Petraki who has spent over 20 years in the maritime business.

Nick Savvides, Europe correspondent

December 21, 2023

1 Min Read
Short sea shipping could be the right first move for women
Seatrade Maritime

Recruitment has become a major issue across industries, with labour shortages compounded by the need to train and educate skilled workers, particularly in shipping where the technology is changing fast, and women can fill the recruitment gaps said Petraki.

Elpi Petraki is the business development manager at ENEA Management Inc. and president of WISTA International, the Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association, and believes there is a solution to staff shortages.

Although she acknowledges the challenges that face shipping, she points to the different needs that people may have when choosing their profession, which allows the maritime sector to compete with shore-based work as a result.

“The recruiting and retaining issue is a general one for all industries, not, just shipping,” said Petraki. “Each part of our industry attracts different types of people. Short sea shipping, for example, attracts people who want to reach the shore more often, to feel that sense of being close to home.”

She believes that a different type of person would opt for the long-haul business - someone who does not mind spending much of the year at sea.

Petraki believes that shortsea shipping could, therefore be “a good first step for women on board vessels. That sense of being at home, or close to home, is often enough; it’s something that could appeal to women.”

“There is also a personal dimension to shortsea shipping, where the individual is working onboard among people they know, and calling at the same ports and so they get acquainted with regular contacts. I think this is also an attractive environment for many people.”

It is also necessary to make certain that there are safeguards on board to protect women on ships, adds Petraki.

Check the full article in our Hellas Maritime Report 2023

About the Author

Nick Savvides

Europe correspondent

Experienced journalist working online, in monthly magazines and daily news coverage. Nick Savvides began his journalistic career working as a freelance from his flat in central London, and has since worked in Athens, while also writing for some major publications including The Observer, The European, Daily Express and Thomson Reuters. 

Most recently Nick joined The Loadstar as the publication’s news editor to develop the profile of the publication, increase its readership and to build a team that will market, sell and report on supply chain issues and container shipping news. 

This was a similar brief to his time at ci-online, the online publication for Containerisation International and Container News. During his time at ci-online Nich developed a team of freelancers and full-time employees increasing its readership substantially. He then moved to International Freighting Weekly, a sister publication, IFW also focused on container shipping, rail and trucking and ports. Both publications were published by Informa. 

Following his spell at Informa Nick joined Reed’s chemical reporting team, ICIS, as the chemical tanker reporter. While at ICIS he also reported on the chemical industry and spent some time on the oil & gas desk. 

Nick has also worked for a time at Lloyd’s Register, which has an energy division, and his role was writing their technical magazine, before again becoming a journalist at The Naval Architect for the Royal Institution of Naval Architects. After eight successful years at RINA, he joined Fairplay, which published a fortnightly magazine and daily news on the website.

Nick's time at Fairplay saw him win the Seahorse Club Journalist of the Year and Feature Writer of the Year 2018 awards.

After Fairplay closed, Nick joined an online US start-up called FreightWaves. 

Get the latest maritime news, analysis and more delivered to your inbox
Join 12,000+ members of the maritime community

You May Also Like