Sailor’s Life – Steps on the Vast Waves: Vietnamese Female Sailor on the Ocean-Going Ship.

Sailor’s Life – Steps on the Vast Waves: Vietnamese Female Sailor on the Ocean-Going Ship.

Becoming an ocean-going sailor in Vietnam is no longer a story exclusive to men. The old prejudices can no longer stop the girls who love the maritime profession.

The Girls Who Love the Engine Room

There have been 5 girls who have been awarded the Certificate of Professional Competence for the first female seafarers of Vietnam by the Vietnam Maritime Administration from 2021 until now. The final barrier for them to step on the ocean-going ships has been removed. Hứa Nguyễn Hoài Thương, the first female engine officer on an ocean-going ship I met three years ago, just announced her ship boarding date right on the Lunar New Year 2024. The 25-year-old girl from Bạc Liêu, though playful, could not hide her emotions: ‘I haven’t dared to tell my parents, in 3 years on the ship, I’ve already had 2 shipboard Tets.’ Having surpassed the Cadet period (officer training), Thương is now a fourth engineer, at Trung Á Trading Joint Stock Company, Ho Chi Minh City.

Hoài Thương was very worried because no company would accept her for an internship after she graduated from the marine engineering field. ‘They refused by making promises and then staying silent,’ Thương said. Mr. Nguyễn Trần Thuyết, in charge of technical management at Trung Á Company, shared the reason for the company’s acceptance of new female seafarers from school: ‘Being female, they are not afraid of getting dirty, not afraid of the heat, not hesitant to wear greasy protective clothing…, and are committed to learning on the job. When we proposed to send a female seafarer onto a ship, we faced many difficulties due to the prejudice of many organizations and companies in the same field. We also had to research and prepare, from understanding state regulations to improving the company’s policies from daily life to work and rest for female seafarers.

‘I understand that my brothers and sisters in the company who supported me to go on the ship had to ensure with their honor and responsibility in their work so that I could fulfill my dream.

Therefore, I am even more determined,’ Hoài Thương expressed. The representative of Trung Á Company also added: ‘Both female seafarers have been at sea for 3 years, on some of the most challenging fleets in the industry (LNG and chemical carriers). They have completed the operational officer position, which even many male seafarers find hard to achieve without high determination.

“Choosing a profession means accepting everything.”

During a chance meeting with marine engineering students, Hoài Thương had the opportunity to talk with Lê Võ Thục Quyên, 24 years old, from H.Bình Chánh, Ho Chi Minh City. Quyên shared: “I graduated in April 2023. Although I looked for jobs and submitted applications to many companies, the physically demanding nature of marine engineering meant many maritime companies were hesitant to choose women. At that time, I was in crisis, thinking I wouldn’t be able to find a job in my field of study, and perhaps I would have to study another field to find work.”

But fortunately, in June 2023, Quyên received her first call from NS United Kaiun Kaisha Ltd (NSU) of Japan for an interview. They told her to prepare thoroughly, from her specialized knowledge to her English. “It is a reputable and long-standing company in Japan specializing in transporting ore on large capesize ships ranging from 200,000 to 400,000 tons. And I was accepted for an engine officer internship on the ship starting from October 12, 2023. In February 2024, I have a voyage to take the exam for the third engineer position with a salary of 3,200 USD/month. Currently, I receive a salary of 700 USD/month for the 12-month internship,” Quyên said.

What is the reason maritime transport companies are hesitant to hire women? “The wrench for tightening the main engine’s bolts can weigh up to 20 kg. Or like the weight used to open the filter, weighing 20 – 30 kg, girls can’t lift it. The work in the engine room is very strenuous. Specifically, the chief engineer manages overall, the second engineer is responsible for the main engine, waste incinerator, oil-water separator. The third engineer looks after the generator (electricity), manages fuel oil, lubricating oil, boilers; the fourth engineer works with various pumps, filters, air compressors. So even if they are women, they must be skilled professionals, capable of handling that heavy work to meet job requirements,” sailor Phan Ngọc Long (31 years old), from Ho Chi Minh City, said.

So what motivates these ‘delicate’ girls to continue at sea? Quyên confided: “Our youth is very short, I want to experience so that later I have no regrets. The biggest regret would be studying maritime but not going to sea.

“After three years at sea, Hoài Thương plans to become a management officer. She confides, ‘Operating a ship involves deck and engine officers. Each job has its own risks and physical demands. On the deck, they are exposed to hazardous cargo which can affect their health, but that’s the price for the high salary of seafarers. They must have knowledge and comply with maritime regulations to minimize risks to themselves. Choosing this profession means accepting everything.’ Hoài Thương plans to serve as an operational officer for 12 months at sea over the next five years, completing a full year at sea.

Lê Nguyễn Bảo Thư is a deck officer working on the fleet of Stolt Tanker Company with the title of Third Officer. She was also selected for the Scholarship Program by Stolt Tankers and the Maritime Training and Human Resources Company (UT – STC) from her third year. After completing the program, Thư went to a seaport in Tokyo, Japan, to start her ship internship in January 2021.

Thư recounts, ‘It was my first trip, spanning the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans, passing through the legendary Panama and Suez canals. The journey lasted about 8 months instead of 4 – 5 months due to the Covid-19 pandemic, so I couldn’t return home on time. The storms in the Atlantic are what I fear the most. The large waves and strong winds make the ship shake violently, as if it could capsize, lasting several days in a row, preventing anyone from resting or eating; but the work still has to be done every day. I have spent two years celebrating Tet away from home, and because of the workload, I also don’t have time to feel homesick. Only during my free time do I take the opportunity to call and wish my family a happy Tet.’

Thư’s motivation for going to sea, as she shares, is because of the high salary and the opportunity to work in a multinational environment, not confined like working in an office. The goal of this 25-year-old woman is to continue at sea and pass the exams to become the first female ocean-going ship captain in Vietnam.

‘The harsh weather conditions in the vast seas make many people unable to complete long voyages. In addition, there are dangerous goods on board that can cause fires, explosions, or toxic gas leaks if company procedures are not followed. And the latest issue now is the high-tech weapon attacks in the Red Sea, Somali pirates, Guinea, which are causing concern for the seafarers on that route. Although there is a lot of support from naval ships, when passing through that area, the seafarers are always in a state of readiness,’ Thư sends us a message from her ocean-going ship journey during the Lunar New Year 2024.”

“Hoài Thương and Bảo Thư – the first two female seafarers of Vietnam coincidentally met in South Korea on the 30th day of Lunar New Year 2024.”

A Japanese officer guided Quyên during her Cadet term.