London-based educational consultant Diversity Study Group's latest shipping survey polled over 3,000 people across the world, covering many strands of business including owners, operators, managers and charterers.

The survey confirms a lack of ethnic and female representation at senior levels, showing 27 per cent of C-suite positions are held by women, dropping to 14 per cent for the heads of department level.

However, the gender imbalance is not reflected at the junior and trainee level, where the split is 63 per cent female and 35 per cent male.

IT remains the most male-dominated department with 82 per cent of its workforce identifying as male.

Technical and fleet operations have 19 per cent of roles being filled by women.

As well as gender, the annual review explored age and ethnicity in the shoreside shipping workforce.

"Other sectors are making considerable investments in time and resource as they adapt their business strategies to foster a more inclusive workplace culture. If shipping fails to do so, it risks falling behind at a time when DEI (diversity, equality, inclusivity) has become essential to building a resilient and relevant sector, one that can thrive and progress," said Diversity Study Group co-founder Heidi Heseltine.

"It is clear that shipping's next generation cares about DEI issues. Shipping is also competing with other sectors for the same people, so it is essential that we can offer meaningful, inclusive, and fulfilling career destinations." said Ms Heseltine.