Maritime Culture Lab
CMSS launch new maritime research project – the Maritime Culture Lab – a project in diversity crewing in the shipping industry!
International Women’s Day marks the launch of our new research project, Maritime Culture Lab!
We are happy to finally announce the official launch of our new research project on diversity in crewing matrixes in the maritime industry. The project is called the Maritime Culture Lab and is a unique collaboration between leading tanker company Hafnia and the maritime research center, Center for Maritime Health and Society (CMSS) at the University of Southern Denmark.
With the goal of increasing diversity at sea, Hafnia has engaged four vessels in its fleet to have a crewing ratio of at-least 50% women - to better understand how conditions at sea can be improved for all, especially for those within underrepresented gender groups.
Researchers from the University of Southern Denmark and Aarhus University have developed this project that aims to understand the impact that crews of at least 50% women may have on operational health and safety, efficiency, the working and living environment, and leadership and teamwork. Malmø University will also participate.
The project further explores ways in which shore personnel can support diverse crews and the various challenges they face in that respect. Finally, the project identifies best practices as a set of guidelines to assist understanding on how diversity in crewing may translate into every day and long-term change across blue organisations in Denmark and abroad.
The study will provide the shipping industry with empirically sustained analyses that can contribute to change in crewing practices and diversity management that utilises the full potential for crewing shipboard positions in a sustainable manner. A report will be made that includes analyses based on data from vessel passages and company visits, and an end conference will be set up to disseminate results.
We look forward to sharing more about our progress!
The project is financially supported by the Danish Maritime Fund and Hafnia.
For more information, please contact Project Lead, Senior researcher, Lisa Loloma Froholdt lfroholdt@health.sdu.dk
The Maritime Culture Lab is a unique maritime research collaboration addressing a common challenge in the industry, namely diversity in crewing and in making a career at sea more attractive for female seafarers.