Amid the focus on data and metrics when we talk about ESG challenges within the maritime industry, it is important to remember the human element which remains central to maritime operations. It is crucial not to lose sight of the people behind the numbers.

Colleagues and peers from across the industry joined us on 15 May, for an event focused on highlighting the critical challenges in the sector, including offshore crew welfare issues and a lack of gender diversity. The event was organised by Shipping Professional Network in London in collaboration with Norton Rose Fulbright, with a panel comprising: Olivia Cullen, John Fafalios (CEO of Care4C), Gina Panayiotou (Founder and CEO of Oceans Arena) and Michelle Bockmann (Independent Maritime Analyst, Writer). 

Here are some of the key takeaways from the discussion.

Driving gender diversity at sea

• Visibility is essential, with campaigns such as Nina Varumo's photography series vital for spotlighting the hidden maritime world, challenging the traditionally male-dominated industry perception by demonstrating the vital roles that women play.
• Alongside this visibility, role models are a particularly key tool for tackling gender diversity issues - the idea of "you can’t be what you can’t see" really resonated with the audience.

Improving seafarers' sleep and safety

• A wake-up call is needed in how we protect the health of those at sea - on average, seafarers get only 4 hours and 22 minutes of sleep per day, which leads to fatigue and causes 10-16% of marine casualties each year.  
• However, there isn't an easy solution. Despite regulations such as the International Labour Organisation’s mandate, requiring a minimum of 10 consecutive hours of rest within any 24-hour period exist, enforcement remains a substantial obstacle to successful implementation. 
• Additionally, there are difficulties in collecting data, worsened by underreporting and the potential for falsified records, allowing the industry to avoid necessary scrutiny. 
• Moreover, the unique demands of life at sea - including irregular work schedules, operational demands and limits to crew size – make compliance even tougher. 
• Addressing these challenges requires innovative approaches that combine accurate data collection with practical solutions.  

The overall landscape

• Integrating gender diversity targets as a KPI for gender linked loans is one practical and effective strategy that has been used to tackle the industry’s longstanding gender imbalance. By adopting such targets, debtors can benefit not only from favourable rates but also from access to a wider and more diverse talent pool. As a firm we have seen this first hand through our recent advice to ABN AMRO and considered the impact of this further here. 
• Whilst these financings represent a positive step forward for the industry, ESG should not be treated as a mere tick-box exercise. Such policies must be supported by training initiatives to raise awareness, and when there are successes, communicating these effectively is crucial in encouraging others to take similar action. 
• It still remains common for panels at shipping conferences to be composed entirely of men, underscoring the persistent visibility gap and the need for deliberate actions to promote gender diversity in the sector.  
• Operators may be reluctant to adopt ESG-based changes due to concerns about the time and financial investment required. To ease this burden, ESG initiatives should be consolidated to provide clearer, more accessible solutions that operators and owners can more readily embrace.  

A special thank you to William Ford and Imogen Duke, both Trainee Solicitors at the firm, for their contributions to the takeaways included above.

You can find out more about our Women In Maritime network below.