SMART-C Women : SMART-C Projects

Strengthening Women's Competencies in the Sustainable Maritime Transport Sector through upgrading skills related to Maritime Digitalization and Marine Environmental protection

Empowering Women for a Sustainable Maritime Transport Sector

Women continue to remain underrepresented across the maritime sector, accounting for just under 19% of the total maritime workforce globally.

The SMART-C Women Project promotes gender equality and inclusive growth in the maritime sector through targeted training, education, and international collaboration. Implemented under the IMO–Republic of Korea SMART-C Framework, the project advances the career development of women in developing countries across Asia and the Pacific by strengthening their capabilities in eco-friendly and digital technologies, thereby contributing to the blue economy and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

10 Beneficiary Countries

Indonesia

ASIA

Philippines

ASIA

Sri Lanka

ASIA

Timor-Leste

ASIA

Viet Nam

ASIA

Fiji

PACIFIC

Marshall Islands

PACIFIC

Papua New Guinea

PACIFIC

Tonga

PACIFIC

Vanuatu

PACIFIC

WHAT WE DO

Project Pillars

Capacity Built through Online and In-person Training

Deliver online and in-person training for women maritime professionals from Asia and Pacific SIDS on decarbonisation, digitalisation, and gender-related matters.

Each year, the SMART-C Women Project delivers a two-part training cycle for women maritime professionals across Asia and the Pacific. The programme begins with two weeks of online sessions covering maritime decarbonisation, digitalisation including the Maritime Single Window, and gender leadership in the maritime sector. Selected participants are then invited to Busan, Republic of Korea, for an in-person empowerment training gaining hands-on experience through visits to leading Korean maritime institutions and port facilities.

Launch of the SMART-C Women Training Programme

The 2024 training cycle marked the launch of the SMART-C Women Project, bringing together women maritime officials from five Asian countries. The inaugural phase of the project featured a comprehensive 10-day online training programme with interactive lectures and collaborative group workshops, culminating in an in-person women’s empowerment training in Busan, Republic of Korea.

Online Training

Training dates: 17-21 June; 1-5 July 2024
Participants: 8 Executive Level; 17 Managerial Level

In-person Training

Training dates: 2-6 September; 9-13 (KMW) September 2024
Participants: 6 Executive Level; 12 Managerial Level

Held alongside Korea Maritime Week, the In-person training complemented the virtual modules with specialized technical lectures and field visits. Participants explored real-world innovations in digital technology, and energy and environmental services across four key maritime institutions:

Field Visits

Korea Institute of Maritime and Fisheries Technology (KIMFT)
Korean Register (KR)
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries
Busan Port Authority

SMART-C Women Training Programme in the Pacific Region

The 2025 training cycle expanded the project’s reach to the Pacific region for the first time, bringing together women officials from five Pacific Small Island Developing States (SIDS). 46 online modules were conducted covering GHG Emissions & IMO GHG Strategy, Maritime Digitalization, including MSW, and Gender-related topics such as Women Leadership & Mentorship, with interactive presentations by the IMO secretariat providing technical expertise across these areas.

Online Training

Training dates: 3-7 March; 17-21 March 2025
Participants: 7 Executive Level; 12 Managerial Level

In-person Training

Training dates: 15-19 September 2025
Participants: 6 Executive Level; 4 Managerial Level

Several online training participants had once again gathered in Busan for hands-on sessions allowing participants to connect online concepts with real-world maritime operations. A standout experience for the 2025 cohort was touring Dongwon Global Terminal Busan (DGT), Korea’s first fully automated container terminal, providing deeper understanding of maritime digitalisation in practice.

Field Visits

Korea Institute of Maritime and Fisheries Technology (KIMFT)
Korean Register (KR)
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries
Dongwon Global Terminal Busan (DGT)
Busan Port Authority

2026 Training Cycle: Empowering Our Largest Asian Cohort

Returning to Asia, the 2026 cycle marked a major milestone for the SMART-C Women Project by welcoming its largest cohort to date. A total of 40 female maritime professionals from Indonesia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste, and Viet Nam took part in the virtual sessions held from 2 to 6 March and 16 to 20 March 2026.

Modules are delivered in collaboration with specialist consultants and maritime experts from the World Maritime University (WMU). The training aims to build technical competencies and leadership skills, empowering women maritime professionals to drive national development and participate in global dialogue on the future of shipping.

Online Training

Training dates: 2-6 March; 16-20 March 2026
Participants: 7 Executive Level; 33 Managerial Level

In-person Training

Training dates: 19-23 September; 26-30 (KMW) September 2026
Participants: TBC

Building on the virtual lectures, selected trainees from the 2026 cohort will gather in the Republic of Korea in October. This upcoming practical phase will offer tailored onsite training, and field visits to help participants bridge theoretical knowledge with practical applications.

Formal graduate education for women supported through fellowships

Provide fully funded postgraduate fellowships at the World Maritime University (WMU) or the International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI) to selected training alumni.

The SMART-C Women Fellowship Programme supports the professional development of women maritime professionals from beneficiary countries by providing fully funded opportunities to pursue postgraduate studies at the World Maritime University (WMU) in Malmö, Sweden, or the International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI). Each year, 2 fellows are selected from alumni of the SMART-C Women training programms based on their performance and engagement during the training.

The SMART-C Women Fellows

Celebrating our participants awarded fellowships to pursue advanced maritime studies at the World Maritime University

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The programme aims to build long-term leadership capacity in beneficiary countries by equipping women professionals with advanced maritime knowledge and skills to support governance, sustainability, and digital transformation.

Global networking for women through international information sharing activity

Facilitate international collaboration through SMART-C Women Conferences and Regional Workshops in partnership with Women in Maritime Associations (WIMAs), WISTA International, and academia.

Each year, the SMART-C Women Project organises a regional workshop to strengthen the visibility and influence of women in the maritime community. These events bring together government officials, maritime professionals, and representatives from regional and international maritime associations to share experiences, identify policy gaps, and advance gender-responsive approaches in maritime digitalisation, decarbonisation, and governance.

Built on the outcomes of the training programme, these activities provide SMART-C Women participants with a platform to consolidate learning and engage in regional exchange with peers from beneficiary countries across Asia and the Pacific.

SMART-C Women Trainees in the 2024 SMART-C Conference

Busan, Republic of Korea I 11 September 2024

The 2024 SMART-C Conference was held as an invitation-only programme during Korea Maritime Week. During the conference’s 2nd Session, SMART-C Women trainees from the Philippines, Viet Nam, Sri-Lanka, and Indonesia had the opportunity to present and share their experiences on the SMART-C Women Training programme.

The conference provided a meaningful platform for participants to engage with a wider audience, extending the reach and visibility of the work carried out under the SMART-C Women Project.

“Today’s discussions have laid a strong foundation for future cooperation. The journey towards a sustainable maritime future is one we will navigate together.”

Mr. Youngso Kim, Deputy Director, IMO Technical Cooperation and Implementation Division

2025 SMART-C Women Conference

Seoul, Republic of Korea I 21 October 2025

Held during Korea Maritime Week in Seoul, the 2025 SMART-C Women Conference brought together women maritime professionals, policymakers, and stakeholders from across Asia and the Pacific.

2025 SMART-C Women Conference Video

Organized by the IMO in collaboration with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and supported by KOMSA, the conference showcased progress and key achievements under the SMART-C Women Project. Delegates shared national experiences and best practices on advancing women’s participation and leadership in the maritime sector, followed by a high-level panel discussion on driving gender-inclusive policy and leadership.

Pacific Workshop on Gender-Responsive Governance and the Twin Transition

Rarotonga, Cook Islands I 9-11 February 2026

Held in Rarotonga, Cook Islands, this regional workshop brought together representatives from 12 Pacific countries to advance regional action to support women’s leadership in the maritime sector, amid emerging trends in decarbonization and digitalization. Organized through a partnership between the IMO Women in Maritime Programme and the SMART-C Women Project, the workshop focused on strengthening the governance, institutional resilience, and strategic positioning of the Pacific Women in Maritime Association (PacWIMA) and its national chapters.

Seven alumni from the 2025 SMART-C Women training joined the workshop to further expand their professional networks and build leadership skills. Participating in discussions on governance models, advocacy strategies, and regional coordination, they contributed to the development of the Pacific Gender-Responsive Maritime Governance Guidance and a regional advocacy action plan to support more coordinated and effective action across the Pacific region.

Pilot consultancy project to develop national master plan for maritime women empowerment

Support the development of national master plans on maritime women’s empowerment in pilot countries, focusing on women empowerment in maritime decarbonization and digitalization.

The SMART-C Women Project supports two pilot countries (one in Asia and one in the Pacific) in developing national master plans that integrate gender equality into maritime digitalization and decarbonization policies. Developed in partnership with the World Maritime University (WMU), these master plans provide a strategic roadmap for strengthening women’s skills, leadership, and participation while supporting national maritime development priorities. Designed as a replicable model, the framework can be adapted by other beneficiary countries across Asia and the Pacific.

Based on a country-specific assessment of the maritime sector, the plan establishes a strategic framework to address barriers to women’s participation. It sets out a long-term vision, strategic priorities, and recommended actions to guide policy development, institutional collaboration, and capacity-building, to support the implementation of gender-responsive initiatives across the sector.

The initiative includes a dedicated online capacity-building programme that equips participants with practical tools to implement gender-responsive master plans. Topics covered include master plan design, policy coherence, stakeholder engagement, monitoring and evaluation, and leadership for implementation. The pilot programme conducted for Asia region was attended by 21 participants, including alumni from the 2024 and 2026 SMART-C Women training cohorts.

Asia pilot country Viet Nam

Lead consultant Professor Momoko Kitada, World Maritime University (WMU).

Pacific pilot country TBC