On the International Day for Women in Maritime, the IMRF is recognising the women helping to shape the future of the maritime sector across the world. Through its #WomenInSAR initiative, the IMRF continues to champion greater inclusion, visibility and opportunity for women in maritime search and rescue (SAR).

One of the women helping to drive that change in the Caribbean region is IMRF member Dr Evette Johnson Smith.

As President of the Women in Maritime Association Caribbean (WiMAC) and Director of the School of Graduate Studies & Research at Caribbean Maritime University (CMU), Evette has spent nearly two decades championing maritime education and greater opportunities for women across the industry.

Dr Hortense Ross Innerarity- Jamaica’s Superintendent of Pilotage , WiMAC GC President- Dr Evette Smith Johnson; WiMAC GC Director Finance & President Jamaica Chapter- Ms Valrie Campbell.

Her own journey into the industry came as “a new challenge”. Originally working as an educator, she applied for a role at a maritime education and training organisation in Jamaica looking for “an adventure”, and nineteen years later, she says the industry’s dynamic nature continues to motivate her.

“Each day I am motivated by the sheer excitement of working in a space that is so dynamic that you have to retool and reskill every few hours, every few days to stay relevant.”

Evette believes the role of women in maritime has evolved significantly over the last decade. While women have traditionally been concentrated in shore-based administrative roles, they are now increasingly visible across technical and operational positions, including marine engineering, navigation, logistics, education and SAR.

She has also seen encouraging progress through WiMAC, with more young women pursuing maritime education and training across the Caribbean region. Governments, maritime authorities and industry stakeholders are becoming more intentional about inclusion, while awareness around gender equality in maritime continues to grow.

The Women in Maritime Association Caribbean (WiMAC) was established in response to the International Maritime Organization’s IMOGender programme, with the aim of accelerating progress toward gender equality in the maritime sector across the region. Now over ten years old, WiMAC works to promote gender equality initiatives, leadership development and capacity building opportunities for women in maritime. Evette explains that a regional approach is critical because it connects policy with practical action on the ground. WiMAC chapters regularly engage in school outreach and awareness campaigns designed to expose young women to maritime careers early and consistently.

Photo of CMU WiMAC student Chapter.

She adds that the wider international conversation has shifted in recent years. “The international conversation has shifted from simply including women to recognising that diversity and gender balance strengthen sustainability and economic performance across the maritime sector.”

“There’s now greater recognition of the reality that women in maritime is not only a social objective aligned with the UN sustainable development goal #5 on gender equity, but is also an economic imperative for maritime states.”

Despite the progress, barriers do still remain. Evette points to persistent gender stereotypes, limited awareness of maritime careers and the cost of technical training as some of the biggest challenges facing women entering the sector.

Both CMU and WiMAC are working to address these issues through mentorship, outreach programmes, scholarships and leadership development initiatives. CMU’s efforts are already having an impact, with women now making up 41 percent of the university’s student population.

Ms Valrie Campbell; Chief of Defence Staff, Jamaica Defence Force- Vice Admiral Antonette Wemyss Gorman; Dr Evette Smith Johnson; Jamaica’s Commissioner of Customs- Dr Velma Ricketts Walker; President Shipping Association of Jamaica and Board Chair Maritime Authority of Jamaica- Mrs Corah Ann Robertson Sylvester

For Evette, visibility and representation remain critical in encouraging more women to pursue maritime careers.

“When girls see women serving as captains, as engineers, as lecturers, as sport managers and maritime executives, it challenges outdated stereotypes and demonstrates that maritime careers are achievable and rewarding.”

She notes that this shift has been supported by both policy attention and changing industry attitudes, but also by the visibility of women already working in the sector. “Visibility and representation are powerful because they help young women see possibility, belonging, and success within the maritime industry,” she says.

That visibility is particularly important within SAR, where women continue to be underrepresented globally.

Student Chapter with (l-r) WiMAC President Dr Evette Smith Johnson, IPP- Tamara Lowe- James (Tropical Shipping), and WiMAC Member Dr Jennifer Nugent Hill (Tropical Shipping).

The IMRF launched its #WomenInSAR initiative in 2019 to help address this imbalance and support women working across maritime SAR. Since then, the initiative has delivered international training programmes, mentoring schemes, sector surveys and guidance aimed at improving inclusion and representation.

Evette believes initiatives like #WomenInSAR are vital because they move the sector “from conversation to action on inclusion”, while also showing young women that leadership, technical competence and operational excellence are not defined by gender.

“Competence is not gender mediated.” She notes.

In 2026, the IMRF will continue supporting women in maritime SAR through several key #WomenInSAR initiatives, including two rounds of its mentoring scheme and its fourth international #WomenInSAR training programme.

Looking ahead, Evette hopes more young women will feel empowered to enter the industry and help shape its future. “Every woman who enters this industry opens the door wider for other women to follow.”