WOMEN IN PORTS MAKING AN IMPACT

Udara Cumaratunga

Manager – Commercial & Marketing South Asia Gateway Terminals (Pvt) Ltd., Sri Lanka

Udara, please tell us a little about yourself and how you came to start your career in the maritime industry? Growing up, I aspired for a career in Swimming. A corporate career was not particularly something I envisioned. Over the years as I eagerly looked up to many Olympic swimmers, I learnt that although their common theme was countless hours of training, they were all, also successful in other aspects of life, whether it was academic or a career.

With time I noticed that my curiosity extended towards understanding business and I was inspired by career professionals.

In 2012, I embarked on a journey at the University of Sheffield, UK where I studied for a bachelor’s degree in International Business. During the second year of my degree, I undertook a study abroad year in Gold Coast, Australia which really expanded my understanding of Global trade and International business.

In 2015, I returned to Sri Lanka and assumed a role as a management trainee at John Keells Holdings, the largest conglomerate in Sri Lanka. During the 15-month extensive training program, I had exposure to several different industries. Upon completion, I was assigned to the property sector of the group where I was responsible for branding and marketing aspects for the company and worked together with Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts to execute an events and promotions strategy for Cinnamon Life.

Thereafter I undertook a position at eMarketingEye, a digital marketing agency in Sri Lanka with a global network of clients. Whilst carrying out my work responsibilities, I successfully completed a master’s in business administration in 2020.

Then I moved to SAGT, an offer that really sparked enthusiasm in me to explore and learn about a completely new industry. My experiences in this short span of time has exceeded all my expectations. As the company adapted to the new normal, I was able to seize the opportunity to be part of teams that were in the forefront of driving change not only within the company but across the industry.

Did you have a role model who motivated you to work in ports / maritime? My father by profession is a Master Mariner who spent many years at sea before taking up a position ashore in the maritime and logistics industry. I have always admired his commitment and enthusiasm towards work and his career progression and have found inspiration in him to pursue my career within any industry I chose.

However, the decision to take on the position at the SAGT was predominantly based on the opportunity that came my way. I was happy about the potential it offered to enhance my exposure to international business and operations. My expectations have surpassed many times over as I’ve been exposed to aspects of the logistic supply chain than I knew to have existed.

What has been the most special moment in your career or a turning point? Over the years I have had some exciting and special moments so selecting one seems a little impossible. But with the onset of the pandemic and the new normal, I got the opportunity to be involved in the evolution of the company’s operations which intrigued me. Although new to the industry I felt that this was impactful in laying the foundation to my career in the maritime and logistics industry.

What do you think needs to be done to encourage more women in ports? I think the world is experiencing a paradigm shift with more women taking up employment in different roles in nontraditional industries. This trend is also visible globally in the global ports sector with women taking up positions in perceived “uncommon jobs” .

Within SAGT, we have female representation in every department and organizational levels ranging from engineers to accountants and executives to senior level management.

So, I think it is just a matter of time before more females push through the boundaries and enter the sector. Highlighting the success stories and career progression of those who have dared to take up challenges will inspire more females to aspire for careers within the industry and will also accelerate the process.

What meetups, local events and accelerators do you recommend that have helped you grow? Industry institutes and global networking organizations such as CILT, WILAT and WISTA have been avenues for me to expand my networks within the industry both locally and internationally despite the limitations of physical networking due to the pandemic.

As a member of these organizations, I have had the opportunity to present SAGT at regional forums, expand my knowledge and understanding of the industry through numerous webinars carried out by industry

experts and also participate in various social events such as environment conservation initiatives and virtual Christmas parties.

I recommend to everyone, especially the young professionals, to go in for memberships with these organizations and actively participate in their activities right from the onset of their careers. The experiences and networks will contribute towards a successful career.

What do you do to be motivated? I think motivation comes from within. I learnt the value of self-motivation and dedication early in life as a national swimmer.

New prospects and challenges motivate me. I am driven by work involving learning opportunities. I enjoy roles that have crossfunctional interactions because they give me a chance to broaden my knowledge about other functions that at the end of the day assist me in achieving my goals.

I also believe that hands-on learning is a better approach for me. So, I often find myself involved in various projects within the organization encompassing different functions. As a result, I have been able to participate in teams that have practically revolutionized the business and industry processes. How do you balance your work life with friends that do not understand the challenges we experience in maritime? I don’t really have a predefined recipe that I follow to balance work and life. I think it is a mix of give and take between work and life and it depends on the individual to manage the two aspects.

In general, I like to plan out my week ahead and time block for activities I want to manage during the week whether it is time with the family, meet ups with friends, eatout, travel or work activities and events. Of course, it’s easier said than done. Sticking to my plans is not the easiest of tasks but it definitely helps me to be aware of my schedule and adapt my day to allow for the activities I have planned or to reschedule if I need to do so.

What message would you give to the young women out there who wish to make a career in ports? The sky is truly the limit! Today there are so many women out there who have really demonstrated this fact and have taken on challenges and careers in positions most people did not dare to in the past. Challenge yourself to overcome hurdles on the way to follow your dreams and passions. Take every opportunity to advance yourself through learning, whether it is classroom-based or hands on.

It is up to you to create opportunities by positioning your capabilities and interest. Never feel entitled to an opportunity or career progression, now that it is very much a level playing field be it male or female.

A Tribute To Our Seafarers

The World Maritime Theme for 2021,

"Seafarers: at the core of shipping’s future" seeks to increase the visibility of seafarers by highlighting the role they play now and the role they will play in the future. The focus on seafarers comes as the COVID-19 pandemic has placed extraordinary demands on seafarers, with hundreds of thousands of men and women stranded on ships for months, way beyond their contract period, unable to be repatriated due to national travel restrictions. A similar number of seafarers are unable to join ships and earn a living.

We at Maritime SheEO , salute our seafarers for their invaluable contribution to global trade and wish all our readers a Happy World Maritime Day!

Shine a Light and Make a Difference

Regardless of what we say ashore, seafarers all around the globe continue to do their work. They are the cogs that keep the wheels of global trade turning. In terms of their work, we should continue to shed light on their difficulties even when they are unable to do so. Respect them we must, forget them we cannot.

The IMO will light up its headquarters in blue light on September 30th, and encourages all maritime bodies and ports to do the same in order to highlight the importance of our Maritime Communities ashore and especially afloat in front of everyone's eyes.

Despina Panayiotou Theodosiou

President at Electricity Authority of Cyprus / CEO Tototheo Maritime

Technology may change, roles may evolve, but the core of the future of shipping is the ingenuity, the passion, and the vision of the humans that make it work – the seafarers.

Jillian Carson -Jackson

President at The Nautical Institute

Photo Credit: She of the Sea