All lady officers sailing aboard SCI Tanker MT Swarna Krishna

The Shipping Corporation of India Ltd (SCI), as a part of its ongoing diamond jubilee celebrations and also to commemorate International Women’s Day, achieved another feat when a tanker with all women officers sailing was cast off from the Nhava-Sheva port.

Union Shipping, Ports and Waterways Minister Mansukh Mandaviya flagged off MT Swarna Krishna, a product carrier of SCI from the Liquid Berth Jetty of the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust on Saturday.

He acknowledged the contribution and sacrifice of the women seafarers who acted as the Indian ambassadors to the global maritime community. He applauded the officers, the majority of whom hailed from the Indian hinterlands, for choosing seafaring as a career and admired their determination for daring to take on the difficult profession regardless of the hardships, proving that they were unstoppable.

Recounting the incredible feats achieved by several seafaring women in the past, he stated that women in the Indian maritime sector 'had arrived' to take on the challenges, excel in their performance and make the nation proud.

He congratulated SCI’s efforts in pioneering the women’s integration into the sector and commended each of the 14 lady officers for their courage and valour, and also wished them a successful voyage and many more voyages ahead.

Dr. Sanjeev Ranjan, Secretary (Shipping), Amitabh Kumar, Director General of Shipping, Rajiv Jalota, Chairman, Mumbai Port Trust and Sanjay Sethi, Chairman, JNPT, who attended the ceremony virtually commended the efforts of the women seafarers.

Capt. Suneha Ghadpande and CEO, Divya Jatin Jain, were also present with officers of the team. The Captain and CEO of MT Swarna Krishna narrated the experiences of their maritime career and the requisites for sustenance and excelling in the sector.