Female staff excels in maritime jobs

^{(The photo is provided by Information Services Department)}

The maritime industry is historically male-dominated. But nowadays more and more women are choosing to join.

Female officers can be found working in various grades at the Marine Department. Besides the general grade officers, there are about 100 female officers in the Department, accounting for about 10% of the total workforce. They hold positions like Senior Marine Officer, Senior Assistant Shipping Master, Ship Inspector, Assistant Marine Controller, Marine Inspector and Launch Assistant.

^{(The photo is provided by Information Services Department)}

Assistant Marine Controller Peggy Hui joined the Department in August 2017. Her main duty is to monitor sea traffic within Hong Kong waters at the Vessel Traffic Centre, providing navigational advice and safety information to vessels. She recalled that during one shift, the centre received a report that an an explosion occurred on an oil tanker. Using the witness’ information, she confirmed the tanker’s location on the radar screen immediately and reported the incident to senior management. She then gathered more information to assist other government departments with the rescue.“ Having gained this experience, I realised that I must always be on the alert to deal with emergencies." She said, "The biggest challenge is to provide a timely and effective response under ever-changing weather conditions and sea traffic to ensure navigational safety."

^{(The photo is provided by Information Services Department)}

Bright prospects

After graduating from the Maritime Services Training Institute in 2007, Ms Hui worked for a high-speed vessel company for about a decade. She rose through the ranks to chief officer - the principal assistant to the Captain. When she was preparing to go study at the institute, Ms Hui’s family expressed reservations about her decision. “They thought I had chosen the wrong subject. Now that I have worked in this field for more than 10 years, they see how much I have progressed and fully support me.”

Ms Hui has no regrets about her decision and believes women can be an asset to the industry. "Even though we are considered physically weaker than our male counterparts, we are just as meticulous in our work and can complement each other. I think there are good career prospects in the maritime industry. The clear career path enables me to set goals and work hard to achieve them."

^{(The photo is provided by Information Services Department)}

Career dedication

There are currently three female ship inspectors in the Department. Lilian Chan is one of them. She joined the Department more than three years ago. She was first posted to the Maintenance & Support Section and then later transferred to the Government New Construction Section. “In the Maintenance & Support Section, I was responsible for monitoring the repair progress of government vessels so that they could resume duty on time.”

Before joining the Marine Department, she worked on ocean-going vessels and in shipyards, so working in a non-office setting suits her better. “I prefer working at different locations instead of in the office. When I complete my job or get the vessels back to work safely, I feel a sense of achievement,” Ms Chan added.