The Seafarers’ Charity and Maritime SheEO launch first global survey of women maritime pilots

The project will establish an evidence base on the challenges and opportunities facing women in maritime pilotage, helping inform practical action by industry stakeholders, regulators and support organisations.

Our collaboration was announced at the seventh annual Maritime SheEO Conference in Mumbai.

Maritime pilotage is a demanding profession requiring specialist skills, sound judgement and resilience. Yet it remains male-dominated, and while research has explored the experiences of women seafarers, not much is known about women working as maritime pilots.

The survey aims to address this gap, examining experiences that may affect workplace wellbeing, safety culture and career progression. Its findings will help identify barriers and opportunities to attract, retain and support more women seafarers in the profession.

Sanjam Sahi Gupta, Founder of Maritime SheEO, plans to make use of the organisation’s online community for women pilots, which has grown to nearly 120 members, to shape the research. 

The project builds on The Seafarers’ Charity’s commitment to funding research that builds an ecosystem of support for seafarers. Since its first research grant in 2018, the Charity has seen how evidence can help reshape support for maritime communities.

Our Fishing for a Future research identified the welfare needs of fishing communities and helped inform subsequent funding for initiatives supporting fishers and their families, including safety and financial resilience programmes.

We believe that this latest research will similarly amplify the voices of women maritime pilots and help translate their experiences into meaningful action across the industry.

The survey is due to launch in December 2026 and remain open until March 2027. Its findings will be published on 18 May 2027, marking International Women in Maritime Day.