TIM eMagazine Vol.3 Issue 12
First All-
Female Crew
Sails Waters in
Latin America
A
s part of its gender inclusion initiatives in the nautical
industry, world leading towage operator, Svitzer hired
the first 100% female crew for the Dominican Republic.
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Over the
waters of Rio Haina and Caucedo, in the Dominican
Republic, operates a very special vessel; it is the Svitzer
Monte Cristi, a 70-ton tugboat that helps maneuver
larger vessels so they can dock, undo or be driven
through the channels.
The boat is special not only because of the expertise, technical
knowledge and safety standards applied; this is the first crew integrated
by women, a milestone for the Latin American maritime industry.
"Many things that we presume to be done through physical force, in
reality, only require technical intelligence and the right tools. Many may
think that women do not have the ability to work on a powerful tug boat,
but our crew has shown that this type of work is not exclusive to a specific
gender. With dedication, it is very possible,” said Chief Engineer of Svitzer
Monte Cristi, Marysabel Moreno.
In an industry typically dominated by men, Svitzer Monte Cristi, is
led by Captain Maria de los Santos, accompanied by Chief Engineer
Marysabel Moreno and supported by sailors, Paloma Montero, Loreanni
Torres and Juana Custodio.
The General Manager of Svitzer Caribbean, Cap. Dickson Rivas and
members of the executive board of the company pursued this project for
Svitzer all female
crew
Credit : svitzer.com
two years and focused their energy on training. Captain Eduard Medina
said that the group was encouraged to live up to the Svitzer standards
and today, all see the reward. “These women have become local icons
for others and have proven to be an efficient and hardworking team,” he
added.
Through this gender-inclusive initiative, Svitzer Americas seeks
to change a historical trend, the navigation industry’s marital gender
bias. According to The International Transport Worker's Federation, it is
estimated that only 2% of the maritime workforce is made up of women,
most of them employed on cruises and ferries. However, in the Dominican
Republic, you can now find women in the ranks of officers or captains
directing vessels and performing maneuvers safely.
"At Svitzer, we want to work actively to improve the opportunities and
careers of our female colleagues and for those who work in the industry.
Today, globally, the organization employs a total of 21 marine women
who work on command positions to operational tasks,” said Dickson Rivas,
General Director of Svitzer in Dominican Republic.
For Rivas, the development opportunities provided by Svitzer benefit
the people living in the communities so that anybody can be part of the
industry, regardless of gender, race, religion, etc.
https://svitzer.com/
Find out what the all-female crew has to say about joining Svitzer here:
https://youtu.be/LyrPctQWLd0
"Many things that we presume to be done through physical force, in reality, only require
technical intelligence and the right tools. Many may think that women do not have
the ability to work on a powerful tug boat, but our crew has shown that this type of
work is not exclusive to a specific gender. With dedication, it is very possible,” said Chief
Engineer of Svitzer Monte Cristi, Marysabel Moreno.
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