What does it mean to be the first? Being scared but doing it anyway.
Anyone who meets Captain Sahar will notice a glittery bedazzled brooch in the shape of an anchor affixed to her pea coat. Scientists postulate that our fascination with glitter and gloss stems from an evolutionary attraction to the sea. For Captain Sahar Rasti, the first Emirati female ship captain, her love of the sea goes back to her childhood days. Albeit a fear of swimming, her circuitous path led her to achieve a feat that is not only commendable but will always be remembered as the first.
She aspired to join the industry in December 2015, but opportunities were limited for the same reasons women in the UK or USA are being given. At times it was because the men in charge feared for her safety, and at other instances, it was because it was simply unheard of. This never stopped her from wanting to pursue this field but even made her more tenacious. Alongside her role at the helm of the ship, she is the founder and chairman of the trading company SJR group, but it didn’t always come easy. In fact, it has never been a seamless entry for women in maritime all across the globe.
For all the innovations and breakthroughs achieved, the nautical industry suffers from a paucity of gender diversity. Female captains account for less than 10% of the fleet. This issue is not only limited to captain positions but extends to the whole maritime workforce. Although positions held by women in the industry are seen all throughout the corporate front, the dearth of women in positions perceived to be reserved for their male counterparts is evident. For example, in the UK, female harbour masters are far and few in between. Only 3% of women are cruise ship captains, even though there is as many cruise ship captains as there are airline captains. There is much work to be done. The question remains, however, why there is such an acquiescence towards placing women in more -arduous- tasks?
A mother of three, Captain Sahar Rasi always followed what was expected of her in society, even being the only one of her siblings to drop out of her studies to get married. She adhered to the tradition of being expected to raise a family instead of working. This only lasted until she wanted more for herself, and decided to pursue a career.
Joining the country’s Navigation Services department as an administrative assistant, it did not take long for Captain Rasti to notice that there were no women in the division. A brief inquiry as to why made it known it was simply the case that it is a male-dominated field. Still not taking – no – for an answer, Capt. Rasti pleaded for a chance to experience working in the sea. Through persistence, she was given the opportunity and was made sure to know it wasn’t going to be a walk in the park. On her first day, she was given a 5 am start time, the future captain, was handed a scrapper and tasked to clean the buoys. She did not shy away from the grunt work given to her.
The 12-hour shifts continued for one year until Captain Rasti graduated with an IALA* certificate, before joining the captain’s program in the following year. Today, Captain Rasti stands as a trailblazing woman in maritime. She did not just break down the barriers imposed on women in the workforce and what is expected of them, she walked through obstacles to create a bridge for others to follow suit. Currently, there are around 60-70 aspiring women registered in the academy dedicated to training up-and-coming seafarers, a feat practically unheard of when she first undertook this journey.
There is much more work to be done before the gap of gender disparity starts to minify. To invite more women into the field starts with making it known that it is a possibility. It’s why part of Captain Sahar’s days involves a lot of putting herself out there, doing interviews and fairs all over the world, something akin to a campaign. Increasing her visibility increases the chances of others to come across her story. What else could be done? According to Captain Kelly Gordon, speaking to Boat in 2021, it may be in the sensitivity of the recruiter to give rise to more female roles. Making it more of an initiative to recruit women by encouraging, advocating, and facilitating events solely dedicated to young women.
Hopefully, the times change from celebrating the “firsts” to becoming the norm.