Live Session: Practical ways to support women at sea
9:00 AM – 9:40 AM
Overview
Women make up around 2% of the global seafarer workforce, and for many, life at sea was built without them in mind — from safety equipment and facilities designed for someone else, to isolation onboard, uneven routes to progression, and real concerns about safety and harassment.
The cruise and passenger sector accounts for most women at sea — by CLIA’s estimate, around 94% of all women seafarers work in the cruise industry — while very few are found on commercial vessels. Cruise has also gone furthest on progression: roughly half of women in the cruise sector hold mid-level positions or higher. But concentration isn’t the same as inclusion, and the practical challenges around safety, facilities, and fair treatment don’t disappear on a passenger ship.
This live session brings together three perspectives — vessel assurance, seafarer welfare, and financial wellbeing — to move past awareness and toward action. Our panel will talk through what actually makes a difference, onboard and ashore: the operational and cultural changes that help women feel safe, included, and able to build a long career at sea; the welfare support available to seafarers and their families; and the role that fair, reliable access to pay plays in wellbeing for everyone at sea.
You’ll leave with concrete steps you can apply across your own fleet and teams, whatever your role in the industry.
Speakers:
Ainara Jauregui Rodriguez
Marine Assurance Superintendent, Chevron
Ainara Jauregui Rodriguez is a Marine Assurance Superintendent at Chevron, based in London, with extensive experience in tanker and offshore vessel assurance and risk management. She leads TMSA and OVMSA engagements, ensuring alignment with Chevron’s safety and operational excellence standards. Known for her strong focus on safety culture and continuous improvement, Ainara is an active member of the Asociación Vasca de Capitanes de la Marina Mercante (AVCCMM) and contributes to broader industry networks and initiatives, bringing a collaborative and globally minded approach to marine assurance.
Ruth Campbell
Development Manager, Mission to Seafarers
Ruth Campbell works for the Mission to Seafarers serving as Chaplaincy Development Manager for Europe, where she oversees the growth and support of chaplaincy services across the region. With a background in Social Work, she began her work on the frontline in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, responding to a crisis that left nearly 3,000 crew members stranded aboard five cruise ships in the Port of Tilbury. This experience ignited her passion for supporting seafarers and strengthening welfare provision. In addition, Ruth serves as Programme Lead for female seafarers with the Mission to Seafarers, where she advocates for their rights and works to promote their wellbeing and inclusion within the maritime sector.
Maria Collie
Head of Sales, MarTrust
Maria is a seasoned maritime professional with extensive experience in crew payments and operational workflows. In her role at MarTrust, she works closely with shipowners and managers to streamline crew payroll processes, improve payment reliability, and reduce administrative burden across fleets. Maria brings a practical, customer-focused perspective on how shipping companies can modernise crew payments while ensuring speed, security and consistency worldwide.
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