International Women in Maritime Day 2025 - Celebrating an Ocean of Opportunities

Today, on International Women in Maritime Day, the Society of Maritime Industries proudly reaffirms its support for an equitable, inclusive, and diverse maritime sector. This day serves as a vital reminder of the invaluable contributions women make across all areas of our industry. We extend our thanks to the inspiring women within SMI and across our membership who have generously shared their experiences, insights, and aspirations for shaping a more inclusive future for maritime. Their voices not only highlight the progress made but also showcase the path forward toward greater opportunity and representation.

As this years IMO's International Women in Maritime Day 2025 theme highlights, there are an Ocean of Opportunities for Women in the sector. The voices in this blog are just some of the many incredible women driving progress across a huge variety of roles in our sector everyday. We thank them, celebrate and support them - today and every day. 

Contributors: 

• Emma Johnston, Director, Marine Science and Technology Group and Maritime Autonomous Systems Group, Society of Maritime Industries
• Clare Urmston, Chief Executive Officer, Anemoi Marine Technologies
• Phoebe Chadwick, Senior Ocean Scientist, Fisheries and Acoustics, RS Aqua
• Chrystal Tan, Marketing and Design Manager, FT Technologies
• Carol Anne Knight, Human Resources Director, Ferguson Marine Ltd,
• Michelle Barnett, Business Development Manager for Ocean Science, Sonardyne International Ltd
• Amy Thompson, Innovation & Product Manager, Teledyne Valeport
• Gillian Lovering, Commercial Manager, Rivertrace  
• Katie Lafferty, Managing Director, Tide Creative

What drew you to this field, and what keeps you passionate about it today?

Emma Johnson: 

I was drawn to the maritime sector because I grew up in a family of scuba divers and developed a love for the ocean at a young age. What fascinates me about this field is how it blends tradition with innovation – spanning everything from traditional ship building to cutting-edge autonomous systems. 

What keeps me passionate is knowing that maritime touches everything from global trade to climate resilience. No two days are the same and there’s a strong sense of purpose in being part of something so vital and dynamic. 

Our members are constantly developing new and exciting technologies and I love being a (very small) part of that

Phoebe Chadwick: 

I grew up on the Jurassic coastline and spent a lot of my childhood fossiling at local beaches. I ended up understanding the marine environment and decided to study more about it at university, before undertaking an MSc in Oceanography. It’s so easy to stay passionate in this industry; from innovative new technologies to the drive for the blue economy, I couldn’t imagine working in another sector.

What has been one of your proudest moments or accomplishments in your maritime career?

Clare Urmston: 

My career has all been in finance until last December, when I was so proud to be asked to become CEO of Anemoi Marine Technologies.  I joined Anemoi in 2020, just before the pandemic, having worked in predominantly retail and manufacturing businesses previously.  The latter has certainly helped me, having always been a hands-on leader, I like to understand how operations work so I know how I can help improve efficiencies, quality and/or cost. In my role of CFO, I learnt all about the business and helped it to grow from 6 to 75. I then looked after operations, engineering (technical) and projects as CFOO which has equipped me to stand as CEO!

Michelle Barnett: 

Quite simply, starting my role at Sonardyne and making that jump from academia to commercial without losing my ocean science focus. Prior to Sonardyne my background was predominantly academic, studying ocean science at the University of Southampton for several years through undergraduate and postgraduate study. I really enjoyed getting out in the field, trying out different technology to meet research goals, and that excitement when your data reveals answers to your research questions and even shows somethings completely unexpected. At Sonardyne, being part of the technology development process, seeing science projects come to fruition facilitated by Sonardyne technology, and ultimately having a front-line view to some intriguing and profound research gives me that same enjoyment and excitement whilst having the job stability that isn’t really common for early-career academics.

Have there been any role models or mentors who made a difference for you? 

Amy Thompson: 

Absolutely! From the women that helped me find my feet at the start of my career, to seeing more and more women across the industry holding a wide range of roles – C-suite, entrepreneurs, business development, hydrographers, harbour masters, the list goes on.

Clare Urmston: 

I had a long think about this and the person who keeps springing to mind is my mum. She always allowed and encouraged me to express my views, pushing me at school (with the caveat as long as you’ve tried your best) and made me have a job from the age of 12. This influenced me in higher education and resulted in me having 3 jobs in my university breaks, which really installed my work ethic and drive. It also means all I have I’ve worked for – which I really appreciate and gives me a great sense of achievement and satisfaction.  I also have had some great counsel from some of the leaders I have worked for and building and maintaining a good network has helped open opportunities for me I may not have had if it were not for my network.

What is the best piece of career advice you have been given? 

Carol Anne Knight:

Take time to learn and take an interest in what your organisation is doing and understand the roles that all technical people and functions do to make an organisation tick – know enough without needing to be an expert it goes a very long way if you appreciate what other people bring to the mix.

Phoebe Chadwick:

Not to take myself too seriously and understand that I belong in BD meetings… it took quite a lot of time to get rid of what I like to call ‘imposter syndrome’ and believing that I had the knowledge to belong in those conversations.

What’s something you wish more people knew about working in maritime?

Gillian Lovering: 

Maritime is often seen as a traditional and slow-moving industry, but it’s actually full of energy and innovation. The sector brings together a unique mix of skills, cultures, and personalities, which creates endless opportunities for growth and development.

What really stands out to me, though, is the people and how friendly the industry is as a whole. There’s a genuine sense of community and passion for the industry, which makes for plenty of fun and shared memorable moments along the way.

Emma Johnson: 

It’s not all about the ships! The maritime industry is incredibly diverse spanning technology, environmental science,  logistics, and policy. There’s a place for everyone – from finance, law and IT to event planning, sales, business development and marketing. On the technical side roles range from engineering, science and naval architecture to ROV piloting, boat building and welding. If you can think of it, there’s probably a role for it in maritime. It’s a sector full of opportunity that goes far beyond what people often see.

Katie Lafferty: 

The maritime industry offers a huge variety of opportunities that go well beyond the traditional roles many people might first think of. There’s room for creative and strategic thinkers, and it’s an industry where diverse skills are valued. There's also a strong sense of community, with people working together to tackle common challenges. It’s a sector where you can really make a difference - contributing to solutions for some of the biggest global issues we face today.

What do you hope to see for the future of women in maritime?

Chrystal Tan: 

A maritime sector where women are not only visually represented but fully thriving across all levels, from seafaring and engineering to policy and innovation. A future where women are not viewed as exceptions, but as an essential, integrated part of the industry’s fabric; built on recognition, and meaningful representation embedded into the sector’s culture and strategy

Carol Anne Knight: 

There is more of a balance if you look at the support functions but would be great to see more in Engineering roles at all levels in the organisation and not just the token one or two.

Amy Thompson: 

That we reach a point where the gender balance is equal and the pay gap is closed. I can’t wait to attend industry events and ‘the number of women in the room’ is not a topic of conversation!

What can be done to better support women in maritime?

Chrystal Tan: 

Visibility and messaging campaigns that consistently spotlight women across all maritime roles, from leadership to everyday operational excellence. Representation through strategic storytelling will shift long-standing perceptions, boost recruitment, increase opportunities, and create a culture where women’s contributions are expected, not exceptional.

Katie Lafferty: 

Create space for genuine representation and be open to fresh ideas from a wide range of voices - whether that’s in public discussions and campaigns, within project delivery teams, or around the boardroom table. Diversity should never be treated as a box-ticking exercise; it’s about actively listening and engaging in meaningful and advancing conversations. There’s real value in including voices that reflect not just where the maritime sector is today, but where we want it to go in the future.