Maritime Authority of the Cayman Islands (MACI) is pleased to be hosting the 1st Conference of the Women in Maritime Association, Caribbean (WiMAC) entitled WiMAC — Charting the Course for Generations of Women at the Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort, from September 5 to 9, 2016.

The conference is being facilitated by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and WiMAC with the support of the Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) Cayman Islands.

WiMAC is one of several regional associations of women who work in the maritime and allied sectors, and has been established as a proactive advocacy network following on the global programme on the Integration of Women in the Maritime Sector of the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

The immediate objective of the conference is to shape a strategic and developmental regional agenda that aligns with WiMAC’s mission to foster the development and participation of women in the maritime sector, and contribute to the growth of the industry within the Caribbean region.

The Conference will consider current and emerging development trends that impact different areas and sub-sectors in the maritime sphere, and will focus on deliberations in the context of women’s rights and access that impact their economic participation and professional development and wellbeing in the maritime sector. The Conference will also provide a forum for the sharing of lived experiences of women in maritime in the Region and for the participants to benefit from global experiences and advancements from a range of strategic partner agencies that can be used to inform gender-sensitive standards and strategic directions.

The participants will include representatives from the port and maritime authorities and shipping associations around the Caribbean region and includes representatives from the Port Authority of the Cayman Islands and MACI.

Conference facilitators and speakers will include representatives from the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the US Coast Guard, the North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA), the National Energy Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago, the World Maritime University, the Port Authority of Jamaica, the Netherlands Shipping Inspectorate, the Belize Port Authority, Tropical Shipping and Transas Marine Limited.

“We are honoured to have the opportunity to host such a prestigious conference,” said Joel Walton, CEO of MACI.  “This caliber of delegates and speakers is unprecedented for the maritime industry in the Cayman Islands and we look forward to showcasing the talent and expertise which the region has to offer and contributing to the discussion on these extremely important issues.”