Krishna Ruparelia had a light bulb moment when attending an IMO talk that inspired her to profile the women who are driving change in the gas-fuelled shipping sector.
Ruparelia is human resources and operations manager at the Society for Gas as a Marine Fuel (SGMF), which represents nearly 150 companies working in the emerging business.
Inspired by the IMO’s Empowering Women in Maritime theme for 2019, she has profiled 20 women with diverse backgrounds and roles.
A light-hearted chat during an LNG bunker vessel naming ceremony inspired the catchy title WiGS — Women in Gas-fuelled Shipping.
Their stories make for fascinating reading.
Shell marine project engineer and US Coast Guard licensed chief engineer Karen Higgins said she has “a passion for the oceans” and spent time at sea working with diesel and heavy fuel oils before coming ashore.
Looking back, Higgins said she has always had a connection with LNG, watching the product coming into Boston Harbor by ship and working an internship that involved recommissioning an LNG carrier.
Her message to the next generation of women entering the sector is this: it is okay if plans change because you never know where a path will take you, “... it could be something exciting and challenging and you can do it”.
Sailing for almost 15 years as an officer for a French ferry company, Florence Perouas is now captain of the Port of Marseille, where she is in charge of the supervision and security of bunkering.
Perouas said the approach women take to problems is different to that of her male peers: “[A woman’s approach to problems] can be more direct and pragmatic, playing the candid role often allows those involved to reflect and enrich each other.”
DNV GL principal specialist Ann Halford said she has always worked with women, but that there are more now entering the industry than ever before — and in management roles.
In a quiet, and what she terms an “utterly trivial” note, Halford said: “It would be good if it was easier to find overalls and safety boots to fit me.”
Andrea Gay, who is general manager of gas at Keppel Offshore & Marine in Singapore, has told those coming in to the business “don’t let anyone box you in”, adding that there are now more opportunities for women to make a difference.
She is currently acting as a management advisor to FueLNG, which is Keppel’s LNG bunkering joint venture with Shell.
Maud Rijsdijk-Eijgendaal, a former lawyer turned business manager for LNG, bunkering and cruise at the Port of Rotterdam, said only 15% of the gas and oil workforce is female, adding that this figure could be halved for higher-paying technical jobs.
“LNG as a marine fuel can only be successful if it is safely handled,” she said, highlighting the importance of SGMF’s work.
“In LNG, we are recognising the cleanest option currently available [to shipping], which can also contribute in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions [GHGs]. With bio or synthetic LNG as the next step, GHGs can be reduced even further.”
Ruparelia and her SGMF colleagues are looking at how to take WiGS forward in 2020 and would like to hear from more women in gas shipping.
