IMO Consultative Status: WISTA International Approved

Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA International) application for consultative status has been approved.

The IMO’s governing body, the IMO Council, gave the approval on July 5.

WISTA International President Despina Panayiotou Theodosiou said “Consultative status gives us the opportunity to promote diversity, inclusion and women’s empowerment, which are our main aims.

“We can now formally contribute to the discussion for increasing capacity in our industry, a critical component of which is promoting women in the industry, both shore side and shipboard. WISTA’s efforts support the overarching principles in IMO’s Strategic Plan, especially the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women.”

WISTA International has been a voice for female executives in the maritime industry since 1974 with over 3,000 members worldwide representing 44 National WISTA Associations.

Most recently, WISTA continued its expansion in South America with the establishment of WISTA Peru, the second South American National WISTA Association to launch this year.

WISTA International has participated in a number of global initiatives aimed at increasing diversity and inclusion in the shipping industry. It partners with organizations around the world including the European Commission, International Chamber of Shipping, InterManager, Intertanko, World Maritime University, ISWAN, the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers, and YoungShip to increase women’s participation in the maritime industry in coordination with the U.N.’s sustainable Development Goal 5, Achieve Gender Equality and Empowerment for all Women and Girls.