International Day for Women in Maritime - 2023

May 18th is International Day for Women in Maritime, a day to celebrate women in the industry and raise the profile of women in maritime. This year’s theme is “mobilizing networks for gender equality.” Globally, women represent only 1.2% of the seafarer workforce. In a historically male dominated field, it’s especially important to move the industry forward and support women to achieve greater representation.

At Marine Atlantic, we’re proud that women represent 35% of our seafarer workforce. Samantha St. Croix is one of these women. Samantha is a 3rd & 2nd Officer who joined Marine Atlantic in 2016. She first joined the organization as a Deckhand and has worked her way up to becoming an Officer. She believes one of the greatest challenges women face in the industry is the stress and anxiety associated with wanting to be treated equally.

“Although women are much more accepted in non-traditional roles now compared to years prior, there is still room for improvement,” she says. “When I started my career, those feelings were very strong as I tried to prove my worth in my position as a female Officer. As a new mom, I hope that my daughter will grow up and believe she can accomplish anything without feeling inferior to others in absolutely any job.”

Samantha says that having several female Officers in the fleet allows the younger generation to feel more comfortable and confident in choosing a career at sea. “My advice to young women interested in the career would be to know your worth and take pride in your accomplishments that got you to where you are today. Do not allow the opinions of others to deter you from continuing a life at sea if it’s what you love.”

Today, and every day, we celebrate women like Samantha, who are breaking down barriers for women seafarers and who are leading a strong example for those who follow in their footsteps.