Europort Industry Leaders Q&A - Elpi Petraki

 

In the run up to #Europort2025 we are excited to have several industry leaders share their take on some of the industry’s biggest challenges and emerging trends for the year ahead. In the first of our Industry Leader series, we were delighted to speak to WISTA International President, Elpi Petraki.

 

While Elpi wears many leadership hats, as WISTA President she is spearheading change at the highest levels to drive the maritime industry towards a more diverse and inclusive future. Her aims include ensuring Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) remains a top priority - as a key issue for the sector, particularly when it comes to attracting and retaining talent.

 

1. What attracted you to the maritime industry and how did you get started?

The maritime world fascinated me from an early age, and being raised in Greece, both my parents worked in shipping. I began to see how interesting a career in shipping could be, so went on to study maritime business and law before starting my first role in the family business.The short version is I fell in love with shipping, its daily challenges and how it never sleeps. I have had some great experiences over the years, and being part of this vibrant, varied and global industry has been very rewarding.

 

2. Over the last few years, there has been an industry-wide drive focused on attracting the next generation. Is there anything else the industry should be doing to attract new talent?

There are several specific initiatives focussing on attracting new talent to the industry, but the next generation needs to know more about the sector as a whole and what it has to offer. We need to make the industry more accessible and increase opportunities for early exposure and participation. To do this we need to engage with more schools and educational institutes, particularly outside maritime hubs. We also need to listen to what the next generation looks for in a career. Increasingly  people seek out organisations with policies and cultures that align with their values, and we know that companies valuing diversity and inclusion are more likely to attract and retain employees.

 

3. What advice would you give to someone considering a career in the maritime industry?

My advice would be to make the most of every opportunity. A career in shipping can be very rewarding; but you need to be prepared to put in the hard work and continue to educate yourself as the industry continues to evolve. It is challenging, but every day is different and it’s an exciting, often fast-paced environment where you can thrive and never stop learning.

 

4. In your opinion, what is the biggest challenge for the industry at the moment when it comes to diversity and inclusion? How could this be overcome?

The concerns which led to the creation of WISTA remain: the number of women in the industry is still too low; women are often underpaid; and, despite being well qualified, women do not progress to senior roles as quickly as men. Given huge changes in attitudes across society, we need to find out whether women are given the same chances and, if not - why not? Part of this will be about exploring early educational directions and choices, but we must also stay focused on the barriers to career progression for the current generation which frustrate ambitions, qualifications and expertise.Very often change comes down to awareness and ensuring policies on fairness are upheld, so that ability, rather than gender is the basis for achieving goals.

 

5. Finally, new technology, digitalisation and AI continue to transform operations and ways of working. In your opinion, what impact is this having on the workforce? 

New technology, digitalisation and AI are fundamentally changing the shipping industry and are creating new challenges and opportunities for the workforce. They also present a golden opportunity to reset gender imbalances and level the playing field by promoting more flexible working arrangements.Unfortunately, automation will replace some job roles, but jobs will also be created based on new skillsets, especially in tech-heavy roles such as data analysis, robotics and AI management. Individuals and organisations will need to adapt, and companies will need to invest in training programmes that support employee learning. Change can be challenging, but it can also be exciting and one thing is certain: we must not repeat past mistakes. To succeed, we must include 100% of the potential workforce in our maritime future.

 

Join us at Europort from 4-7 November 2025 where conversations around how to foster new experts and attract the next generation of maritime professionals will feature in addition to our Rising Stars Pavillion where you can hear from some of the industry’s budding entrepreneurial minds. Stay tuned for more programme updates soon!