AMSA will be closed from 5 pm AEDT Tuesday 24 December 2024, re-opening on Thursday 2 January 2025. Our search and rescue will continue to operate every day (24/7) during this time. See which services are affected.

How AMSA is beating inequality

We invest in a range of measures to remove barriers to workplace participation and build an inclusive culture for all women.

Our progress

We're proud to say that we have:

We have more work to do, and we are committed to being a leading example for industry.

Learn more about our efforts to invest in women and accelerate progress.

Our initiatives

We invest in a range of measures to remove barriers to workplace participation and build an inclusive culture for all women.  

Within AMSA

These include:

  • delivering training, workshops, and seminars that provide opportunities for women to advance, including our Women in Leadership mentoring program  
  • establishing better facilities and more flexible policies to support staff with carer responsibilities    
  • giving women leaders in maritime a platform to speak about their experiences, challenges and successes
  • sponsoring the Gender Equity Working Group (GEWP) to manage our diversity and inclusion policies and initiatives
  • introducing a Gender Neutral Language project to ensure our communications do not include gendered terms.  

Across Australia

AMSA works as a steward on behalf of the maritime community to increase inclusion of women across the sector.

We do this by:

  • running a scholarship program for young women to encourage them to enter the maritime industry
  • promoting the International Maritime Organization's annual International Day of Women in Maritime
  • working with the Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) and Nautical Institute to organise a major gender equity event
  • including gender equity standing items at our national industry consultative committees, the National Safety Committee and the Shipping Consultative Forum.  

The events give women leaders in maritime a platform to speak about their experiences, challenges, and successes. They also encourage male champions to assist with enacting change.  

The standing items ensure gender equity is front of mind when we develop policy and procedures. They also help in gaining industry input and engagement. 

Across the world

Our initiatives include:

  • working closely with our neighbours in the Pacific and Indonesia to achieve gender equality in the shipping industry
  • supporting the Pacific Women in Maritime Association (PacWIMA) which promotes education, training and career opportunities for women
  • funding 8 women from the Indo-Pacific region to undertake the World Maritime University’s (WMU) 14-month Master of Science in Maritime Affairs program.