International Maritime Organization – IMO and Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association signed an MoU on 27 January 2020, agreeing to work together to explore and, where feasible, develop specific areas of cooperation in accordance with their organizational and programmatic objectives.

One area of collaboration that satisfies the goals of this MoU is a leadership accelerator program.

WISTA and the IMO are working together with the Maritime SheEO to deliver the 3rd Leadership Accelerator Program for 10 scholarships to WISTA members which shall start on 8th March 2023.

This sponsorship will enable selected maritime women to benefit from this leadership scheme, which will include training, mentoring, and networking opportunities. This forms part of the broader outreach strategy of IMO’s Women in Maritime Programme to provide women with access to short upgrading courses, similar to those offered for women in port management and operations.

The programme is twelve weeks long and starts on 8th March 2023. After the live and self-study modules approx. 10 weeks, the participants will have a 2-week break wherein they have to make presentations on their projects followed by an online graduation.