The International Maritime Employers’ Council (IMEC) and The Hood Platform have joined forces to launch the Sisterhood Box, a new initiative providing female cadets with practical support as they take their first steps into life at sea.
The first 47 Sisterhood Boxes were presented to female cadets at the Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific (MAAP) in the Philippines, bringing together two complementary initiatives: IMEC’s focus on period dignity and welfare for cadets, and The Hood’s Sisterhood initiative to create a stronger support network for female seafarers
The project hopes to spark a movement in the industry through challenging leaders to look more closely at whether women are being given the support they need not only to enter the profession, but to remain and build lasting careers within it. The Hood’s wider ambition is to build The Sisterhood into an ongoing community where female seafarers can connect, share experiences, access information and support one another throughout their careers.
Each box contains essential period and personal care products alongside practical information, designed specifically for women preparing for life at sea. It also provides guidance on recognising and responding to bullying, discrimination and sexual harassment, including information on where women can seek support and how concerns can be reported.
The ambition behind the Sisterhood Box goes beyond the contents of the box itself. Women remain a minority onboard most vessels. While the industry has increasingly become more focused on encouraging more young women to enter maritime education and seafaring, IMEC and The Hood believe equal attention must be given to the environment those women enter once they begin their careers..
Josephine Le, CEO and Founder of The Hood, said: “We talk a lot about bringing more women into maritime, but getting women through the door is only the first step. The bigger question is whether we are creating an industry where they feel supported enough to build a long-term career.
“The Sisterhood Box starts with very practical things. A female cadet should not have to worry about how she will access basic period products once she is at sea. But we also want her to know where she can turn if she feels uncomfortable, experiences harassment or simply needs advice. Most importantly, we want every woman receiving this box to understand that she is not entering this industry alone. There is a Sisterhood behind her.”
The Hood developed the initiative following conversations with female cadets and seafarers about the realities of joining vessels where women may represent only a very small proportion of the crew. Those conversations ranged from practical questions about obtaining period products onboard to more serious concerns around bullying and harassment.
The collaboration builds on IMEC’s Period Dignity initiative for cadets, recognising that access to appropriate menstrual products should be treated as a normal welfare requirement rather than an issue female seafarers must individually solve.
IMEC and The Hood hope the initiative will also encourage shipowners, ship managers, manning agencies and maritime training institutions to look beyond recruitment targets and consider the everyday experience of women once they enter the industry. The Sisterhood initiative will also connect the physical box with an online Sisterhood community on The Hood App, allowing recipients to remain connected beyond graduation and into their working lives at sea.
Ms Le added: “If we want more women at sea, we cannot measure success only by how many women enter maritime academies or join their first vessel. We should also be asking how many are still here five, 10 or 20 years late, and what we need to change today to make that possible.”
(Photo from The Hood)