Why can’t some men accept the fact that women can navigate and command ships as well as they do? One male chauvinist commented on LinkedIn that he would not take orders from a female ship officer. His witless reasoning: a woman’s voice doesn’t sound authoritative. Whereupon a young American second officer, a woman, replied: ‘Just the other day I anchored a VLCC.’
Men who belittle the abilities of women at sea forget that women made their mark as captains long before today’s male captains got their first toy boats for Christmas. There was Mary Millicent Miller (1846 – 1894), the first American woman to obtain a steamboat master’s license. And Russia’s Anna Ivanovna Shchetinina (1908 — 1999), said to be the first woman to serve as skipper of an ocean-going vessel.
A good number of contemporary women are following in their footsteps. Amongst them: 26-year-old Julia Petzold, a second officer who is aiming to become a captain within five years. She is shown in the following video from Deutsche Welle (DW) as she goes about her work on board the German heavy lift vessel, Grietje:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Wp5cT7JQiM
Shipping is still a man’s world, however. Women who make the grade can expect silent resentment, if not snide remarks, from some of the males. French writer and philosopher Simone de Beauvoir was probably right. ‘No one is more arrogant toward women, more aggressive or scornful,’ she wrote, ‘than the man who is anxious about his virility.’ ~Barista Uno
Please feel to comment on this article. You may also like:
21 great quotes for maritime women
Maritime women and the circles of power
Portraits of maritime women – 3
Truth be told that I respect all women, I treat them as Super Human, and believe they are a lot stronger than us physically and emotionally. Even that I have been a Buddhist for 36 years I never lost my respect and reverence to Mother Mary, Queen of Heaven.
A man free of prejudice against women – Bless you, brother.
Respect to women who choose to go on board. I personally know one, she is a Chief Mate on a cruise ship, and I have seen others on cargo vessels as well. Yet, I feel that a woman’s presence on board could cause problems. It really depends on the character of the crew. Some guys are smart, some not so much. Same goes for the ladies. If you are going to cause problems, you will get problems in return.
I have already posted the unsuitability of women in hard and dangerous tasks; and being a seaman is nothing less than a hazardous task for the lowest Ordinary Seaman/Messman to the Master/Chief Engineer of any vessel, be it a trawler or a ULCC. Throughout my career in shipping, I have come across many incidents and accidents (two of them included my own brother) which I will not wish any lady to experience:
MV IRAN NAHAD (Gen. Cargo or Bulk): 5 Officers of different nationalities blown to smithereens near the port of Bandar Abbas (Iran) by an Iraqi air attack during the Iran-Iraq war of the 80s.
MT IRAN BAHONAR (Product Carrier): One Indian 2nd Engineer blown up in yet another Iraqi air attack during the same Iran-Iraq war of the 80s.
One Newly promoted Indian Bosun along with two more foreign seamen died in the tank of MT IRAN BAHONAR of the coast of Mozambique during 1987-88.
One Indian Seaman fell off on the Jetty side of another Iran flag vessel during 1993-94; he died.
One Indian Electrical Officer lost 3 and half fingers while repairing a motor on an Iranian flag vessel at an Egyptian port probably Port Said.
One Indian seaman lost half his finger on board another Iranian vessel.
My brother’s finger was nearly severed by the hatch cover on MV IRAN MEELAD (General Cargo) near Busan South Korea.
His next accident was on board MT DANISH (VLCC). He was with a crew who were lowering the ‘Fire Wire’ looping around the deck bollard running through the ‘Panama Hole’; one of the crew lost his grip and the fire wire lashed around striking my brother’s feet throwing him in the air; he landed on his shoulder and dislocated his shoulder joint. This happened in the Persian Gulf near Kharg Island.
I believe above will suffice to bear out my views.
I am sure other Officers and Seamen will have much more to add such accidents which they came across while on board their vessels.
I need not mention the latest scourge of all seamen: Piracy.
Thanks and Best Regards,
Abbas Ali