IMO Gender Equality Award To Be Given To Maritime Entrepreneur Karen Ursel
Ms. Karin Ursel, Co-founder and CEO of MF Shipping Group of the Netherlands, has been awarded the 2025 IMO Gender Equality Award.
The award honors someone who has significantly contributed to promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment in the maritime sector.
The IMO Council recognized Ms. Ursel as the 2025 Gender Equality Award winner at its 133rd session in London (18-22 November 2024). The award ceremony will take place in May 2025, in conjunction with celebrating International Women in Maritime Day (18 May).
Authenticity and courage
The award’s judging panel members highlighted Ms. Ursel’s “long-standing commitment to positive change and her genuine courage to stand up for what she believes is right in the face of adversity.”
Ms. Ursel started working in the industry at the age of 18 and co-founded MF Shipping Group at the age of 23. Since then, the ship management company has grown from managing just six vessels to a fleet of more than 55 vessels, more than 1,000 offshore crew members, and 80 office staff.
As CEO for more than 20 years, she has worked hard to build an inclusive culture at the company, recruiting diverse talent, providing mentoring opportunities, and supporting programs and initiatives that promote diversity in the maritime industry.
She has served as Chair of the Women’s International Shipping and Trade Association (WISTA International) and WISTA Netherlands Chapter and as a member of the Boards of major maritime bodies such as the International Chamber of Commerce (ICS), the International Association of Independent Tanker Shipowners (INTERTANKO), and the Royal Dutch Shipowners’ Association (KVNR).
Currently, she serves as Chair of the European Community Shipowners’ Association (ECSA) and the International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN), using her positions to advocate for gender equality, seafarer well-being, and sustainable development measures within the industry.
Message of Appreciation
The Council decided to award letters of appreciation to the following nominees, highlighting their dedication to empowering women through best practices and various initiatives around the world:
Brazil nominated Ms. Flavia Tacavaci for her role as Director of the Brazilian National Agency (Antaq) and her contribution to adopting policies and initiatives to ensure that gender considerations are integrated into the regulatory framework of Antaq. She has greatly contributed to achieving a more inclusive and equal environment in a traditionally male-dominated industry by being an outspoken advocate for diversity and inclusion issues, supporting quality education to help empower women and setting an example.
China nominated Captain Chen Chunpei for her achievements as the first Chinese official ocean-going ship captain, her advocacy work to promote the establishment of an equal employment opportunity mechanism for female graduates of the Chinese Navy, her involvement in school activities with young children to promote maritime careers, and her passion for the industry.
Ms Katie Weir was nominated by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICS) for her commitment to supporting diversity throughout her career, her outstanding leadership, driving positive change within teams to ensure a safe workplace, diversity of thought, and gender balance, and her mentoring of women in the UK and other delegations to provide the personal skills and confidence to take on leadership roles in the work of the IMO. Ms Weir served as the UK Permanent Representative to the IMO from 2011 to 2024.
Ms Elvia Adelina Bustavino Cedeno, nominated by Panama for the initiatives she led while serving as Deputy Director of the Panama Maritime Authority, a member of the Board of Directors and the Women’s Network of Latin American Maritime Authorities (MAMLa), including the creation of the “Coffee with MAMLa” campaign and the amendment of the International Maritime University of Panama scholarship program regulations to ensure gender equality in the awarding of scholarships.
The Republic of Korea nominated Ms. Jung Min for her important role in establishing the Women in Maritime Association Korea (WIMA Korea) and her subsequent role as Vice President of the Association and for her efforts in implementing the Association’s three-month global training program to improve the navigational capabilities of disadvantaged female trainees who, despite obtaining their certificates of competency, were unable to find employment on board ships. Dr Jung supported their subsequent employment as third mates or captains on international merchant ships.
IMO Gender Equality Award
The IMO Gender Equality Award was established to honor an individual, regardless of gender, who has made a significant contribution to promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women in the maritime sector. The first nominations for the 2024 Award were submitted in 2023.
An Evaluation Committee chaired by Mr Arsenio Domínguez, Secretary General of IMO, and representatives of WISTA International, the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), international tanker companies, two IMO Member States that are members of the IMOGENDer Network, and the Vice President of the IMO Council considered nominations for the 2025 Award.
Nominations may be submitted by Member States, observer organizations, specialized agencies and programs, and funds of the United Nations system; intergovernmental organizations with which IMO has concluded agreements or cooperative arrangements; and international non-governmental organizations in consultative status with IMO.
