"Empowering Women in the maritime industry“ – that’s the motto of today`s World Maritime Day. We talked with Claudia Ohlmeier, President WISTA Germany, about what this motto means to her personally and what’s on the agenda for WISTA 2019 and 2020.

1.  What does “Empowering Women in the maritime industry“ mean for you personally?
It is important to remember that empowering women in the maritime industry is important for not only women, but everyone in the industry. We can only close the gender gap by recognizing that our diversity makes us stronger. Diversity of thought, which comes with gender diversity, will help us to solve the challenges of today, tomorrow and the more distant future. Empowering women is not just a moral decision, it is a business decision – diversity and inclusion is good for business.

This theme expresses what WISTA stands for and is doing around the world - starting 45 years ago. Last year this was acknowledged by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) by allocating WISTA international NGO consultancy status at the IMO.

2.  Please tell us a bit on the upcoming events of WISTA in 2019 and 2020.
WISTA Germany’s main focus for the next month is supporting this year's IMO theme. In October we will take a shipyard tour led by a female managing director. Our WISTA Germany mentoring program will start its 3rd rotation in November. Finally, in December we will have an empowering of women workshop together with a Hamburg based shipping company.

WISTA Germany is already deeply involved in the preparation of the 40th WISTA International Annual General Meeting and Conference that will take place in Hamburg from the 16.-18.09.2020. The conference will focus on “Shipping 2025: Today’s actions for tomorrow’s business”. We will have speeches, panel discussion and workshops on a wide variety of topics, including climate change and speed of digital developments. The goal is to emphasize that we have to prepare today to stay relevant in the future.

3. What will you recommend your WISTA-colleagues for their visit at SMM next year?
There are so many things happening during SMM, for each industry sector key leaders will present the latest innovations, trends and thinking.  Between the sessions and the booths, it will be hard not to be inspired. My insider’s tip: Don’t miss WISTA Germany’s panel discussion and Personality of the Year award ceremony.