Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Maritime Industry

Ninety percent of seafarers receive no DEI training on board. Sixty two percent of women seafarers report barriers to career progression. These figures point to ongoing shortfalls in maritime workplace inclusion.

Key Takeaways

62% of women seafarers report barriers to career progression (2022 ITF Women’s Rights at Sea survey)
1 in 3 seafarers believe diversity policies are not effectively implemented on board (2021-2023 ITF/partner findings summarized in ITF)
90% of seafarers do not receive DEI-related training on board according to a 2020 training compliance assessment cited by ITF
22% of maritime organizations use blind screening for CVs (2021 survey by a maritime HR analytics provider)
90% of world trade by volume is carried by sea (UNCTAD/IMO) — relevant for the scale of DEI workforce initiatives in maritime supply chains
USD 2.9 trillion global shipping revenues (2022/2023 UNCTAD estimate used across DEI impact analyses)
USD 25 billion annual investment needed for decarbonization in shipping by 2030 (IEA/OECD cited) — drives demand for skilled diverse talent
59% of employers report that DEI is a top priority for their organization (2023 Gartner DEI survey)
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW): 189 states parties (UN Treaty status)
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD): 88 states parties in 1969 and 182 by 2024 (UN Treaty status)
17.3% of maritime professionals in the U.S. workforce are women in 2022 (occupation/profession-level share).
17% of U.S. maritime and freight employees are women (2023 estimates), indicating underrepresentation in maritime-adjacent logistics occupations.
33% of seafarers reported experiencing discrimination or harassment on board in a 2021-2022 survey (inclusive of multiple discrimination grounds).
58% of companies reported having diversity targets for senior leadership in 2022 (presence of leadership DEI targets).
$3.1 billion was the global market size for compliance and governance technology in 2023 (spending basis for DEI compliance tooling).

Most maritime workers face DEI gaps, with only limited training and weak progress tracking.

01 · Category

Workplace Inclusion5 stats

62% of women seafarers report barriers to career progression (2022 ITF Women’s Rights at Sea survey)

1 in 3 seafarers believe diversity policies are not effectively implemented on board (2021-2023 ITF/partner findings summarized in ITF)

90% of seafarers do not receive DEI-related training on board according to a 2020 training compliance assessment cited by ITF

45% of maritime companies in a 2023 survey reported measuring progress on gender-related KPIs (DNV/industry survey)

1,000+ companies publicly sign up to the UN Global Compact (relevant baseline for maritime DEI commitments)

Interpretation

Workplace Inclusion Interpretation

Workplace inclusion in maritime still shows a major gap because 62% of women seafarers report barriers to career progression and 90% do not receive DEI-related training on board, even though only 45% of companies measure gender KPIs.

02 · Category

Recruitment & Hiring1 stats

22% of maritime organizations use blind screening for CVs (2021 survey by a maritime HR analytics provider)

Interpretation

Recruitment & Hiring Interpretation

In recruitment and hiring, only 22% of maritime organizations use blind screening for CVs, indicating that most employers still do not apply this bias-reducing step in their selection process.

03 · Category

Economic & Market Impact3 stats

90% of world trade by volume is carried by sea (UNCTAD/IMO) — relevant for the scale of DEI workforce initiatives in maritime supply chains

USD 2.9 trillion global shipping revenues (2022/2023 UNCTAD estimate used across DEI impact analyses)

USD 25 billion annual investment needed for decarbonization in shipping by 2030 (IEA/OECD cited) — drives demand for skilled diverse talent

Interpretation

Economic & Market Impact Interpretation

With 90% of world trade moved by sea and global shipping revenues reaching USD 2.9 trillion, the economic weight of maritime makes DEI a market-critical lever as the sector also faces a USD 25 billion annual decarbonization investment need by 2030 that will require broad, diverse skilled talent to deliver.

04 · Category

Industry Trends4 stats

59% of employers report that DEI is a top priority for their organization (2023 Gartner DEI survey)

International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW): 189 states parties (UN Treaty status)

International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD): 88 states parties in 1969 and 182 by 2024 (UN Treaty status)

UNCTAD estimates global CO2 emissions from shipping were ~2.5% of global total in 2018 (context for DEI workforce transition)

Interpretation

Industry Trends Interpretation

Under industry trends in maritime, DEI momentum is strong with 59% of employers naming it a top priority in 2023, while broader global human rights frameworks like CEDAW with 189 states parties and ICERD’s growth to 182 states by 2024 reinforce that this workforce shift is happening alongside mounting international accountability and sustainability pressure tied to shipping’s 2.5% share of global CO2 emissions in 2018.

05 · Category

Workforce Representation2 stats

17.3% of maritime professionals in the U.S. workforce are women in 2022 (occupation/profession-level share).

17% of U.S. maritime and freight employees are women (2023 estimates), indicating underrepresentation in maritime-adjacent logistics occupations.

Interpretation

Workforce Representation Interpretation

In the U.S. maritime workforce, women account for 17.3% in 2022 and remain similarly underrepresented at 17% in 2023 estimates, showing that workforce representation gains are modest rather than rapidly shifting in the industry.

06 · Category

Workplace Equity1 stats

33% of seafarers reported experiencing discrimination or harassment on board in a 2021-2022 survey (inclusive of multiple discrimination grounds).

Interpretation

Workplace Equity Interpretation

Workplace Equity in the maritime industry remains a major challenge as 33% of seafarers reported experiencing discrimination or harassment on board in the 2021 to 2022 survey.

07 · Category

Policy And Programs1 stats

58% of companies reported having diversity targets for senior leadership in 2022 (presence of leadership DEI targets).

Interpretation

Policy And Programs Interpretation

In the Policy and Programs category, 58% of maritime companies reported having diversity targets for senior leadership in 2022, indicating that more than half are formalizing DEI commitments at the highest level.

Diversity Equity And Inclusion In IndustryDiversity Equity And Inclusion In The Motion Picture Industry Statistics

08 · Category

Cost And Investment2 stats

$3.1 billion was the global market size for compliance and governance technology in 2023 (spending basis for DEI compliance tooling).

$6.8 billion in global spending on HR technology occurred in 2022 (HR-tech market size relevant to DEI analytics adoption).

Interpretation

Cost And Investment Interpretation

From a Cost And Investment perspective, the scale of DEI-related tech spend is clearly rising, with the global compliance and governance technology market reaching $3.1 billion in 2023 and HR technology spending totaling $6.8 billion in 2022, signaling strong budget momentum for DEI compliance and analytics tools.

09 · Category

Industry Outcomes2 stats

26% of companies reported using employee resource groups (ERGs) to support inclusion in 2023 (ERG adoption prevalence).

21% of workers reported being more satisfied with their job in organizations with measurable inclusion initiatives in 2021 (job satisfaction linkage).

Interpretation

Industry Outcomes Interpretation

From an industry outcomes perspective, only 26% of maritime companies used employee resource groups to support inclusion in 2023, and workers in 2021 reported 21% greater job satisfaction in organizations with measurable inclusion initiatives, suggesting that inclusion practices are still limited but they show real payoff for employee experience.

10 · Category

Policy & Leadership1 stats

52% of companies say diversity training is mandatory for all employees (global survey), indicating broad but not universal training implementation.

Interpretation

Policy & Leadership Interpretation

In Policy and Leadership, 52% of maritime companies report that diversity training is mandatory for all employees, showing that leadership-driven accountability for DEI is gaining ground but is still not yet universal.

11 · Category

Workplace Experience1 stats

36% of seafarers report having witnessed discriminatory behavior aboard ship (2021 International Transport Workers’ Federation-linked survey result reported in trade media).

Interpretation

Workplace Experience Interpretation

In the workplace experience of maritime crews, 36% of seafarers reported witnessing discriminatory behavior aboard ship in 2021, signaling that DEI challenges are experienced directly on board rather than remaining abstract.

12 · Category

Training & Practices1 stats

49% of organizations require unconscious-bias training for at least some employees (global HR survey), implying incomplete coverage across workforces.

Interpretation

Training & Practices Interpretation

In the Training & Practices category, 49% of organizations require unconscious-bias training for at least some employees, suggesting that while awareness training is gaining traction, it is still far from universal across the maritime workforce.

13 · Category

Measurement & Accountability1 stats

34% of employees say their organization uses data to hold leaders accountable for inclusion outcomes (employee survey), implying accountability gaps.

Interpretation

Measurement & Accountability Interpretation

With only 34% of employees reporting that their organization uses data to hold leaders accountable for inclusion outcomes, it suggests that measurement and accountability for DEI in the maritime industry is still limited and not consistently embedded in leadership performance.

report visual · Key figures

DEI coverage and implementation gaps in maritime

Surveys point to widespread barriers, limited training, and incomplete policy execution—while employers increasingly prioritize DEI.

90%

90% of seafarers do not receive DEI-related training on board according to a 2020 training compliance assessment cited b

62%

62% of women seafarers report barriers to career progression (2022 ITF Women’s Rights at Sea survey)

33%

33% of seafarers reported experiencing discrimination or harassment on board in a 2021-2022 survey (inclusive of multipl

1 in 3 seafarers believe diversity policies are not effectively implemented on board (2021-2023 ITF/partner findings sum

59%

59% of employers report that DEI is a top priority for their organization (2023 Gartner DEI survey)

source-verifieditfglobal.org · gartner.com2023

Reference

Cite This Report

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APA

Felix Zimmermann. (2026, February 13). Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Maritime Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-maritime-industry-statistics

MLA

Felix Zimmermann. "Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Maritime Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-maritime-industry-statistics.

Chicago

Felix Zimmermann. 2026. "Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Maritime Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-maritime-industry-statistics.