Nor-Shipping has seized on International Women’s Day to sign up to the new, 40 by 30 initiative from WISTA Norway. This focuses on increasing female participation in maritime, with a goal of boosting the number of women in leading industry management positions in Norway from today’s level of 15% to 40% by 2030.

Nor-Shipping, Your Arena for Ocean Solutions, has partnered with WISTA for over a decade, highlighting campaigns and hosting the Waves of Change conference every two years. Nor-Shipping 2022, taking place 4-7 April in Oslo and Lillestrøm, sees the conference integrating into The Quality Flag Forum event on 5 April, taking place in association with the Norwegian Maritime Authority and the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association. WISTA will use the opportunity to explain and promote the 40 by 30 pledge.

From ambition to #ACTION

“There’s a difference between verbal commitment and pledging to concrete goals,” states Per Martin Tanggaard, Director External Relations, Nor-Shipping. “We all want to see increased diversity within our industry – attracting fresh talent and making the most of different perspectives – but without targets those good intentions can fail to materialise.

“We believe this is an excellent way to address a key issue for maritime and applaud WISTA Norway’s ambition to make a real difference. It is a campaign that dovetails perfectly with our theme of taking positive business #ACTION within the ocean space, while giving the Waves of Change/Quality Flag gathering a very strong focus. Nor-Shipping is delighted to pledge its support.”

Alongside the 40% target, WISTA’s initiative encourages participants to set, measure and review diversity goals, publishing updates to show progress and encourage wider sign-up and support.

Global gathering

The Quality Flag Forum is just one of many networking and knowledge sharing events taking place this April at Nor-Shipping 2022. Other highlights from the activity programme include, The Ocean Leadership Conference, Brazil@Nor-Shipping, the Blue Talks, Nor-Shipping’s Technical Seminars, The International Ship Autonomy and Sustainability Summit, the Young@Nor-Shipping programme, The Maritime Hydrogen Conference, and many more.

The last Nor-Shipping took place in summer 2019, attracting over 50,000 participants, with exhibitors drawn from over 60 nations. With the recent removal of all coronavirus restrictions in Norway, organisers are hoping to emulate that success, offering some 22,000 sq m of exhibition space and a long-awaited physical gathering for international ocean decisionmakers.