Scorpio News
Women in Seafaring: A Changing Tide
On 5 November, STI Osceola welcomed the AMPOL Chartering delegation as part of its ongoing fleet engagement. The delegation, led by Capt. Hemant Berry, Marine Manager and Capt. Rajiv Kalra, Vessel Operations Manager, met with STI Osceola’s Capt. Cem Cetinkaya and Chief Engineer Serdar Paksoy, to conduct a safety session under AMPOL’s I-3 Program: Involvement, Interactive, Initiative. Visitors representing Scorpio included Capt. Amit Parihar, Quality Auditor & Trainer, and Mr. Ram Kumar, Technical Superintendent, who acknowledged AMPOL’s continued collaboration in supporting safe and efficient operations across the fleet. A thoughtful exchange was had, reinforcing the shared commitment between AMPOL, Scorpio, and our crew towards maintaining high operational and safety standards.
Among the STI Osceola crew greeting the guests, was 3rd Officer Rabia Adanur, the only female officer on board. The charterer representatives were especially interested in speaking with Rabia, requesting her to share her motivations for starting a maritime career and her experiences as a woman at sea. After their conversation, Rabia led the group on a vessel walkthrough and answered the delegation’s questions. Here, Rabia shares her personal reflections on this memorable meeting:
“During the visit, the charterer representatives wanted to meet and talk with me. Being a female officer and the only woman on board naturally drew their attention. Most of our conversation revolved around why I chose this profession and how I began my career at sea. They emphasized that my presence here is a significant demonstration of courage.
I believe there is no need to explain in detail the challenges of being a female officer; it is a reality that certain prejudices still exist in the industry. Even before starting my career, many employers and crew members openly expressed their reservations about women working on board. Despite this, I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to Scorpio Group. Since the beginning of my internship, I have never felt any gender-based discrimination here. One of the main reasons I chose to continue my career with this company is their supportive and genuinely equal approach.
From the fact that the charterer representatives also wanted to meet me and valued my perspective as a woman, I can clearly see that change in this industry is no longer just a topic of discussion—it is becoming a visible and tangible reality. Women in maritime are being acknowledged, their presence appreciated, and their voices heard.
I sincerely hope that this mindset sets an example for all companies across the sector, and that women’s place in maritime becomes even more visible, stronger, and simply a natural part of the profession.”
– Rabia Adanur, 3rd Officer
This article featured in Beacon 29; while onboard, all issues are accessible on Docmap.