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MOL Hosts 1st Online Event for Women Seafarers to Mark IMO International Day for Women in Maritime
May 21, 2025
TOKYO-Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL; President & CEO: Takeshi Hashimoto) today announced that the company held its first online event for women seafarers on May 16 to commemorate the International Maritime Organization (IMO) International Day for Women in Maritime (Note 1), which is observed annually on May 18.
This event recognized the invaluable contributions of women seafarers. It aimed at deepening understanding of the environment and issues surrounding women seafarers and creating a workplace environment where they can work with peace of mind, through talk sessions with MOL Group in-house ship management companies, manning companies, and the newly established Welfare Officers (Note 2) this year.
A total of 70 participants, including MOL Captain Naomi Matsushita (Note 3), the first woman captain of an intermodal ocean shipping group company in Japan, as well as 31 women crewmembers and cadets, came together to celebrate International Day for Women in Maritime Day. During the talk session, they actively exchanged opinions on the background behind their decision to become seafarers and shared their real experiences. They also shared MOL's efforts to improve the onboard living environment and build a support system for women seafarers, including pre-boarding briefings, mental health care, and the provision of sanitary products, and expressed their commitment to collaborating with all parties involved toward the same goal.
The MOL Group positions diversity, equity, and inclusion, including the promotion of women's roles, as a "new driving force for growth," set this as one of the basic principles of the "MOL Group Human Capital Vision," has been selected as a "Nadeshiko Brand" (Note 4) for five consecutive years, which recognizes companies that excel in "the promotion of women's activities." The company has also been selected for the "MSCI Japan Equity Women's Activity Index (WIN)" (Note 5) prepared by MSCI, Inc. of the U.S. for two consecutive years. The group will continue to promote women seafarers and combine their diverse personalities, abilities, and experiences to sustainably enhance corporate value.
(Note 1) In 2021, the IMO General Assembly adopted a resolution declaring May 18 of each year as International Day for Women in Maritime. This event celebrates women in the maritime industry and is intended to promote the recruitment, retention, and sustainable employment of women in the maritime sector, raise the profile of women in maritime affairs, and support efforts to address the current gender imbalance in the maritime industry.
(Note 2) Please refer to the May 8, 2025, MOL Information: MOL Launches "OceanCare" -A Dedicated Wellbeing Support Program for Seafarers -Dedicated Welfare Officer Newly Appointed- | Mitsui O.S.K. Lines.
(Note 3) MOL research as of June 7, 2023.
Please refer to the June 7, 2023, press release: MOL's First Female Captain Takes Command of Car Carrier - Creating a Work Environment in which Diverse People Can Work together and Co-create with Others in a Rewarding Environment -
(Note 4) Please refer to the March 24, 2025, press release: MOL Selected as 'Nadeshiko Brand' for 5th Consecutive Year, Reflecting Measures to Encourage Women's Success in the Workplace
(Note 5) Please refer to the August 16, 2024, press release: MOL Continuously Selected for Inclusion in 'MSCI Japan Empowering Women Index (WIN)'
MOL Group 5 Sustainability Issues
MOL Group identifies "Sustainability Issues" (Materiality) as our key issues for sustainable growth with society through realization of the Group Vision.
We anticipate this initiative to contribute especially to the realization of "Human & Community -Contributing to the growth and development of people and communities-".
