Within the maritime industry there has to be a significant increase in black participation through ownership, management and employment in companies throughout the industry value chain. This is according to the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Elizabeth Thabethe, speaking at the Women in Shipping Industry workshop held recently in Durban.

The purpose of the workshop was to enlighten women about the shipping industry, the skills needed and the opportunities that are available for women in this industry.

Thabethe says, “The maritime industry must pursue a growth strategy that prioritises the retention and creation of quality jobs, most of which are on landside operations. In order to make this a reality, the industry must develop a deliberate strategy to increase access to skills, capital and economic opportunities and therefore raise the economic value add of every employee and enterprise in the industry.”

“The industry must commit to embark on a major communication and marketing campaign, which will take the Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) Charter for the Maritime Industry to every company within the industry, to ensure maximum participation by all stakeholders.”

“This will require all stakeholders to recruit new black people into the industry and increase their skills and those of existing employees to best-practice international levels, while creating a supportive culture for their talents to thrive.”

In terms of the Maritime BEE Service Strategy, the overarching long-term vision is to develop South Africa to become one of the world’s top 35 maritime nations by the year 2014.