In October 2023, Northern Marine announced it was one of eleven leading maritime companies to commit to the All Aboard Alliance’s ‘Diversity@Sea’ pilot to test a variety of real-life measures aimed at creating a more welcoming and equitable offshore work environment.

The All Aboard Alliance brings together senior leaders from across the maritime industry, united by a collaborative drive towards increasing diversity, equity and inclusion in order for Maritime to become a more sustainable, forward-looking and innovative industry.

In collaboration with vessel owner and sister company Stena Bulk, Northern Marine have implemented measures on a selected vessel that includes the requirement for a minimum of 4 female crew members to be onboard throughout the 5-month pilot. These measures were recommended following a survey of female seafarers.

This is a comparatively high number in an industry where less than 2% of employees working at sea are female.

Continuous feedback from crew onboard via daily surveys is assisting in providing evidence-based guidance to the industry to better attract and retain women.

Philip Fullerton, Managing Director, Northern Marine Group and member of the All Aboard Alliance Steering Committee said: “At Northern Marine we are committed to achieving better Diversity, Equity and Inclusion onboard our managed vessels to improve working operations and achieve more innovation through a wider range of perspectives.

“We are committed to ensuring that our participation in the project results in meaningful outcomes and leads to improved gender representation across our industry, both onboard and ashore.

“In turn, this will foster more inclusive, diverse, and ultimately more effective work environments.

“Continuous insights from all the Crew will provide real-world intelligence on the measures we have implemented.

“This project is an extension of our ongoing internal objectives at Northern Marine to make life at sea more appealing and inclusive to all seafarers.”

Comparative analysis with other participating companies will offer insights into the effectiveness of the measures taken in the pilot.

Thomas Campbell, General Manager, Clyde Marine Training (a Northern Marine Group subsidiary) is a member of the All Aboard Alliance project committee.

He said: “In an industry where talent shortage is an issue, more diversity, equity and inclusion in the maritime workforce will attract and retain a wider talent pool, fulfil stakeholder’s growing DEI expectations and spark innovation.”

ENDS

Notes: Northern Marine Group manages and crews a wide range of vessels including oil/chemical tankers, Gas Carriers, offshore support vessels and small cruise vessels. It also provides a range of additional marine and offshore services including Training, Travel Management, Ship Agency, Engineering, Offshore Catering and Marine Quality Assurance. It is a proud subsidiary of Stena AB, one of the largest family-owned companies in Sweden.