OSG Pledges $90,000 for Women at SUNY Maritime College

U.S.-based shipping company Overseas Shipholding Group (OSG) announced its support for women at SUNY Maritime College with a three-year pledge totaling nearly $90,000, in an effort to make strides in reducing the gender gap in the maritime industry and create equal opportunities for all. The funding will go towards scholarships for women and a student government organization at the college, Women of Maritime, which cadets launched to build community and bring more awareness to the maritime career path.

OSG's commitment encompasses two annual scholarships for commercial ship opportunities for SUNY women cadets. By partnering with OSG, Women of Maritime will set the stage for women’s generational advancement and foster a pipeline to expand workforce diversity, as well as provide resources for Women of Maritime members to enhance their network, attend national conferences, engage in mentorship programs, and invite speakers to campus.

“SUNY Maritime has consistently sent well-trained, professional crews to OSG, and we value the partnership. By supporting the vision of the Women of Maritime program, we hope to eliminate barriers that prevent women from joining the global seafarer industry and to raise awareness of the abundance of career opportunities available,” said Sam Norton, OSG's president and CEO. He added, “Maritime employment has traditionally been male-dominated, and with a current industry-wide labor shortage, there is a compelling need for programs such as SUNY’s Women of Maritime.”

An integral aspect of this initiative is the cadets' vision of actively recruiting young women to Maritime College, located at Fort Schuyler in the New York City borough of the Bronx. With OSG's support, Women of Maritime cadets will have the opportunity to conduct on-site visits to their former high schools in the Bronx, Brooklyn and Long Island. During these visits, they will share their personal experiences and extend invitations to interested young women to visit the campus. The program also includes hands-on experience at the helm of the College's 41-foot UTB, guided tours of the Empire State VII, simulation-based navigation exercises in the New York harbor using full-mission bridge simulators and introductions to campus life on the Mess Deck.

Earlier this year, OSG partnered with the Women Offshore Foundation to award four scholarships to U.S. female maritime students.