Becky Tai is a shipping finance lawyer based in Hong Kong, working at the heart of an industry that remains, in many ways, traditionally male-dominated. In meetings and negotiations, she can find herself the only woman in the room – a reality that has shaped her perspective on gender diversity, not just as a women’s issue, but as something broader in society.

From Becky’s viewpoint, the conversation around gender diversity is often framed too narrowly. While many assume that policies exist to correct disadvantages faced by women, she sees the challenge differently. In her experience, many workplace policies were originally created to be gender neutral. The issue, however, is that they have not evolved at the same pace as society.

As roles, expectations and perceptions of both men and women have shifted over time, workplace policies have often remained static. For Becky, gender diversity policies are not simply about tipping the balance in favour of one group. “Gender diversity policies help rewrite the rule books to reflect the reality in the society thereby allowing the rules and policies to keep up with the changed social values and social norms.” When policies align with contemporary social values, they not only become more relevant, but also more effective, creating environments that support everyone more meaningfully.

The importance of representation

Despite progress, Becky recognises that barriers to representation still persist. These challenges often show up in more subtle ways, for example, expectations around career timelines and progression. Everyone progresses at their own pace, and family commitments can mean that in some cases men and women may move through their careers differently and take different paths, but ultimately the qualities required for success remain the same.

On how some of these barriers can be overcome, Becky observes that visibilty is important and “we need more female role models to show the younger generation that there are more than one routes to be successful, and it is OK for each individual to work on their own timeline.”

For Becky, increasing representation is not just about numbers. It is about showing diversity in experience, approach and journey, and creating space for individuals to progress in a way that works for them, and the more women seen thriving in the maritime sector, the more powerful the message. 

Being confident

Reflecting on her own experiences, Becky encourages other women entering the maritime industry not to be intimidated by being the only woman in the room. It is a situation she knows well. And her advice to other considering a career in maritime, “your knowledge, confidence and composure will conquer the room.”

Diversity of thought

Women bring diversity in ideas and different approaches to problem solving in a male dominant industry, particularly when looking at the ratio of female crew compared to male crew on board the ships. While much attention is often focused on office-based roles, she believes that true representation must extend across the entire industry. A more balanced presence at sea would not only shift perceptions but also reshape the culture of maritime from the ground up.

For Becky, increasing the number of women in maritime is not simply about equality. It is about enhancing creativity, broadening viewpoints and improving decision-making across the industry.

New frontiers: Technology and opportunity

As the maritime industry undergoes a period of rapid transformation – Becky sees a moment of real opportunity. “Digitalisation, automation and green technology are not just transforming industries – they are redefining the skills and pathways to success.”

These changes are redefining what the industry looks like and the skills it demands. Traditional pathways are being replaced with new ones, opening doors to roles in areas such as data, sustainability and innovation. Crucially, many of these emerging fields do not carry the same historical barriers that have limited access in the past.

Becky relfects “For women, this presents a unique opportunity to step into higher-value, future-focused roles and to actively shape the direction of these emerging fields. The key will be ensuring access to the right skills, networks and opportunities so that women are not just participants in this transition, but leaders of it.”

In many ways, the transformation of maritime offers a new dawn – and with it, the potential to build a more inclusive and forward-looking sector.