Dawn of Women Marine Engineers in India.

They talk about engine 'decarbs' (overhauls) as comfortably as the latest Bollywood flick. They are equally at ease in both the air-conditioned comfort of their lounges and the furnace-like heat of the engine room. They don't mind the grime and dust or the long, gruelling work hours. They are the women marine engineers who literally rub shoulders with their male colleagues on merchant ships. Close to a decade after the first Indian woman marine engineer graduated from Marine Engineering and Research Institute (MERI), Kolkata, more than 50 such women are today sailing on the high seas.

Braving all odds, these daughters of Sindbad have made the sea their home and the ship their workplace. A sense of adventure and challenge drives them to continue — a fact that Jharkhand girl Jyoti Kumari accepts about her job. "Every day is a challenge," she says. "There is no scope for monotony. Everyday, we go to work thinking, 'what problems are we going to face today?' and how are we going to solve them," says the spunky young girl who has worked on oil tankers only in her four-year-old career. The feeling is common across the board. Yet, it's rather interesting that none of them had any clue about the challenges and adventure they would face when they opted for marine engineering as a career.

Most of the women came to know about the course only when they came across advertisements in newspapers. Says Archana Saxena, one of the first women cadets from Tolani Maritime Institute, Pune, "I hadn't heard about marine engineering till I saw the ad for admission. After reading it, I found out details about a marine engineer's job and ended up liking the profile. I always wanted to do something different from others." A little research, words of assurance from friends, family and the institute help in getting the women on board. Jaipur girl Ruchi Tripathi, who graduated from MERI, Kolkata, faced some opposition from home when she filled up the form along with the IIT application. "They were apprehensive initially. But when they learnt about the course, the prospects and saw the college, they were reassured," says Tripathi. She is presently on vacation at home after completing a six-month contract period with a foreign shipping company.

Most women, who have graduated from either MERI, Tolani or TS Chanakya (this trains students to become navigation officers), are still onboard ships. Says S K Sarkar, director, MERI, Kolkata, "Ever since we opened admissions to women for the first time in '95, eight have taken the course here. Some years, there haven't been any women but that's an exception. I don't think women will stop joining the course." The real test begins once the four-year long rigorous training is over and the cadet joins a ship.

The initial weeks are spent fighting seasickness and adjusting to the working hours. But most importantly, it's getting a foothold in a male-dominated workplace that takes precedence. Most often, there is only one woman on a ship. "The moment you join, all eyes are on you. The big question is: ‘Can she perform?' It becomes imperative then for the woman to prove herself," says Saxena. And in order to establish herself, she ends up putting in extra effort and time. Sharvani Mishra, the other first woman cadet from Tolani, feels that this is true of any other male-dominated profession. "Attitude problems are always there," she says. "But as long as you are professional, hard-working and good at work, everybody respects you." What about problems like sexual harassment and discrimination at the workplace? "We are more safe on the ship than on land" is a common refrain among women shippies. Moreover, women are treated as equals and expected to perform the same tasks as men do. "If there is a breakdown in the middle of the night, then you are expected to come to work, even if you have gone to sleep just two hours back after completing your shift," says Kumari.

After all, shipping is a business and the owner is paying huge money for the ship to be in good shape. "So whether it's a man or woman, the job has to be done," reasons Brijendar K Saxena, director, Tolani Maritime Institute. Most ships these days are new and fully automated. As a result, breakdowns and engine-room emergencies are not too common. But working on an old ship can be full of challenges. Recalls Mishra, "On one of my earlier trips, I was on a 15 to 20 year-old ship. It was quite a terrible time. I had to be up most nights to ensure that the ship was in running shape." In fact, life on an oil tanker can be more hectic than on a bulk carrier (ships that carry dry cargo like iron ore and grains in bulk). But these women don't seem to mind it. "In the end, it's just a matter of 4-5 months. Most companies now offer shorter contracts unlike in the past when one was at sea for nine months at a stretch," says Ankita Srivastava, an employee of a foreign shipping company. Yet, being the only woman on ship can get difficult at times. "I miss girl talk and the fact that there is nobody to share my emotions and innermost thoughts," says Kumari. Moreover, being away from family, especially children, for months at a stretch can be emotionally stressful. But most women shippies are quite pragmatic about it. "These days most people work long hours, thus staying away from home for a longer period. And by the end of the day, one is too tired to even have a decent conversation with the family.

At least, when we are on the ship, our focus is work and when we are home for few months, we are able to spend all our time with the family," argues Saxena. This mother of a one-year-old will be joining work this month after a break of two years. All the toil, sweat and bouts of loneliness are compensated by visits to exotic places and six-figure salaries. "Our travel is completely free and we end up saving all our salary. What more can we ask?" queries Tripathi. Travelling to the pyramids, getting a peek of the Great Barrier Reef or watching dolphins swim along with the ship are some unusual perks of a job. And at the end of the day, as the world sleeps, the uppermost thought on a woman marine engineer's mind is the smooth running of the ship.

ILO publication : Women Seafarers. Global employment policies and practices

Download Abstract.

This landmark book is the first to focus on contemporary women seafarers at a global level. It addresses a host of issues surrounding the working conditions and welfare of women, from both developed and developing countries, employed aboard the world’s merchant and passenger ships. Drawing on extensive research commissioned by the ILO, the book considers women’s participation levels in the industry, and examines policies concerning their recruitment, training, maternity and employment rights, and other aspects of work and life at sea. It also offers first-hand accounts from women seafarers describing how they have dealt with discrimination, sexual harassment, parental disapproval and an array of other difficulties.Women’s employment in the industry has multiple dimensions, and this book provides the historical background and presents recent findings on female participation rates. The study examines the practices and policies of national and international regulatory agencies, employers, trade unions, and maritime education institutions. A series of recommendations that may further help the integration of women into shipboard communities is included.

KEY FEATURES:

First book of its kind to focus on women seafarers at a global level

Contains useful appendices for cross-referencing with the text

Covers women’s employment in both developing and developed countries

Offers details of actual experiences of women seafarers

Focuses on policies regarding recruitment, training, maternity leave .

Nandkishore Gitte