Business

WISTA: ‘Education and awareness’ key towards narrowing gender gap in bunkering, shipping and trading sectors

‘Bunker barges operate in very local areas so these vessels call at port very often which means it will be a good fit for women with families,’ states Elpi Petraki, President of WISTA International.

Published

2 years ago

March 14, 2023

Admin

Minimising the existing gender gap in the bunkering, maritime, trading and logistics sectors can be made possible through education and awareness, believes the President of Women's International Shipping & Trading Association (WISTA).

“There is already a challenge of attracting talent into the maritime industry and we need to educate young people in schools on shipping industries,” Elpi Petraki told bunkering publication Manifold Times during an interview in London.

“Parents want their kids to be working in high paying jobs and the shipping industry also offers this possibility.

“You can be a maritime lawyer or a doctor or engineer supporting crew on board ships out at sea; these are also well-paying jobs which can be very interesting with the added benefit of travel around the world.

“The younger generation don’t see the gender gap we currently see so we must build on this to give opportunities for everybody.

“We have to talk outside the industry by heading to a wider audience including the mothers and fathers through raising awareness.”

A survey ‘Women in Maritime Survey 2021’ conducted between WISTA and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) highlighted the share of women on company boards within shipping’s subsectors – including the bunkering sector.

“We know there are several women especially in later times in their careers employed within the bunkering sector where they form part of the management,” Petraki pointed out.

“However, we would like to see more ladies operating with the marine refuelling sector especially on [bunker] barges where it is currently almost non-existent,” she stated.

Petraki, who is also the Second Vice President of the Hellenic Short Sea Shipowners Association and Operations, Chartering & Business Development Manager of her family shipowner business ENEA Management, stressed working on bunker barges should firstly be safe for everybody.

“If it is dangerous for everybody why should it be a different danger for women or for men?,” she questioned.

“In fact, the introduction of technology on bunker barges/tankers means less manual labour is now required from its crew thereby benefitting ladies.

“Further, bunker barges operate in very local areas so these vessels call at port very often which means it will be a good fit for women with families.

“This is also the reason why coastal shipping, where vessels ply between regular routes, is also more attractive to ladies especially in Europe.

“The more women we have involved in shipping the more equal and diverse it can be.”

The ‘Women in Maritime Survey 2021’ launched on the first IMO International Day for Women in Maritime (18 May, 2021), was the first time real figures of gender diversity were collected for the shipping industry, noted Petraki.

“Before that, there were no real numbers for women working in the maritime sector,” she revealed.

“Data demonstrated women accounting for only 29% of the overall workforce in the general industry and 20% of the workforce of national maritime authorities in IMO Member States.

“It showed women being involved in many sectors of the shipping industry; especially working within ship owning companies and the legal sectors while contributing to the environmental sensitive side (i.e. ESG) of the maritime business.”

“At WISTA, we aim to empower women to have better possibilities for growing their career through progressing into senior positions of every field of shipping and logistics,” shared Petraki.

“We want to do that by changing behaviours and educating people through continuous learning and acquisition of leadership skills.

“We have presence in 56 countries around the world with a growing membership of 4,000 people comprising not only women but also men as well.

“Shipping is widely known to be a very male dominated industry. To level the field and bring much-needed diversity to the sector, we want to attract women and support them to cover more managerial and board level positions.”

Note: The full 20-page Women in Maritime Survey 2021 is available for download through the WISTA website here.

Photo credit: WISTA, Women in Maritime Survey 2021
Published: 14 March, 2023

FuelEU

FincoEnergies launches pooling service for FuelEU Maritime compliance

FuelEU Pooling service enables undercompliant vessels to meet their compliance targets by pooling with vessels running on GoodFuels sustainable bio bunker fuels.

Published

9 hours ago

April 21, 2025

Admin

GoodFuels biofuel supplier FincoEnergies on Wednesday (16 April) announced the launch of its FuelEU Pooling service, created to enable shipowners to meet FuelEU Maritime compliance in a cost-effective way.

FuelEU Maritime, effective from 1 January 2025, mandates the reduction of greenhouse gas intensity of energy used on board ships trading in the EU. For many operators, particularly those with limited access to low-carbon fuels, compliance can be both complex and costly.

Designed for shipowners, operators, charterers, and technical managers, FincoEnergies’ FuelEU Pooling service enables undercompliant vessels to meet their compliance targets by pooling with vessels running on GoodFuels sustainable biofuels, when these vessels are overcompliant and have ‘Surplus’ emission reduction available for allocation.

FincoEnergies also partnered with Lloyd’s Register (LR), who supported the development of the service. Their technical expertise has enabled shaping a solution that aligns with both regulatory requirements and FincoEnergies' established position as a biofuel supplier in the fuel supply chain.

“FuelEU Maritime represents one of the most important regulatory shifts for the shipping industry in decades,” said Alberto Perez, Global Head, Maritime Commercial Markets at LR. “By integrating technical expertise with strategic guidance, we ensure shipowners, operators, and suppliers not only comply with evolving emissions standards, but also proactively transform their operations, embracing new technologies and alternative fuels to ensure a sustainable and profitable future.”

“With a decade of experience in biofuel bunkers and carbon certificate trading in the voluntary market, we are excited to expand our creative and solution-oriented product portfolio with FuelEU Pooling,” said Johannes Schurmann, Commercial Director International Marine at FincoEnergies.

“Thanks to our physical presence in the supply chain, shipping companies looking for FuelEU surplus can confidently rely on us as a trusted partner in their decarbonisation journey.”

Through its role as Pool Organiser, FincoEnergies streamlines the entire pooling process – from performing biofuel bunkers and prefinancing Surplus, to Surplus allocation and pool verification. With cost-effective pricing, FuelEU Pooling provides shipping companies with a competitive alternative for changing their fuel mix themselves.

Photo credit: FincoEnergies
Published: 21 April, 2025

ECA

PO/Marine launches supply of MED ECA-compliant ULSFO bunker fuel

In preparation of the upcoming Mediterranean Emission Control Area regulation, PO/Marine successfully delivered its first supply of ULSFO with 0.10% sulphur content on 15 April.

Published

9 hours ago

April 21, 2025

Admin

Aydın Yıldız, Head of Marine Sales at Petrol Ofisi Group

Petrol Ofisi’s bunkering arm PO/Marine on Thursday (17 April) said it has completed the bunkering operation of ULSFO—a marine fuel with 0.10% sulphur content—in alignment with the upcoming Mediterranean Emission Control Area (MED ECA) regulation.

Under the new regulation, all vessels operating within the Mediterranean must use low-sulphur marine fuels.

Effective 1 May 2025, the Mediterranean will officially be designated as an Emission Control Area (MED ECA), prohibiting the use of marine fuels with sulphur content exceeding 0.10%.

In preparation for this regulatory transition, PO/Marine successfully delivered its first supply of ULSFO (Ultra Low Sulphur Fuel Oil) with 0.10% sulphur content on 15 April.

PO/Marine launches supply of MED ECA-compliant ULSFO bunker fuel

Aydın Yıldız, Senior Maritime Manager at Petrol Ofisi Group, said: “Our leadership in the maritime fuel sector is defined not only by our market share but also by the innovative steps we take to shape the industry.

“Successfully completing the supply of marine fuel with 0.10% sulphur content in alignment with the MED ECA transition in Türkiye is a concrete reflection of this. We previously led the way with the country’s first VLSFO bunkering operation, setting a precedent in our sector.

“With our ULSFO bunkering, we have once again demonstrated that we are setting the standard in Türkiye’s marine fuel landscape. The designation of the Mediterranean as an Emission Control Area is not only a regional development but a historic turning point for global maritime operations.”

Photo credit: PO/Marine
Published: 21 April, 2025

Bunker Fuel

Oilmar completes first ULSFO bunker fuel delivery in Türkiye

Company announced the successful completion of its first ULSFO 0.1% Sulphur delivery in Istanbul and is now offering the marine fuel in several key locations including Istanbul Anchorage and Marmara Sea.

Published

9 hours ago

April 21, 2025

Admin

UAE-based marine fuel and petroleum products trader Oilmar DMCC on Friday (18 April) announced the successful completion of its first ULSFO 0.1% Sulphur delivery in Istanbul, marking one of the very first trades of its kind in the country.

“With this milestone, Oilmar proudly steps forward as one of Türkiye’s pioneering trading companies in ULSFO 0.1% Sulphur fuel,” it said in a social media post.

Oilmar is now offering ULSFO 0.1% across key locations:

Istanbul Anchorage
Marmara Sea
Gulf of Derince
Bozcaada Anchorage
Southern Türkiye Ports

In addition, High Sulphur Fuel Oil (HSFO), Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (VLSFO), Ultra-Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (ULSFO), and Low Sulphur Marine Gasoil (LSMGO) are available at all ports across Türkiye.

Photo credit: Dima Rogachevskiy on Unsplash
Published: 21 April, 2025