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Leadership as a Woman Executive in the Maritime Industry: An 8th of March Talk with Derya Asar
Maritime… Rough waves, steel ships, and a traditionally male-dominated industry. But today, women’s voices are rising steadily in this field as well. On International Women’s Day, we met with Derya Asar, Deputy General Manager of ACCOMAR, to talk about being a woman in maritime and the dynamics of female leadership. Here are the striking insights from our conversation.
Being a Woman in Traditional Industries Like Maritime
“Maritime has historically been a male-dominated area. One reason ships are referred to as ‘she’ is because they were typically commanded by male captains.” Noting that times are changing, Derya Asar expresses her pride in seeing female captains succeeding at the helm—despite still being officially referred to as “seamen.” After many years working in land-based industries, she transitioned into the maritime sector in 2018. This was a major shift for her, and one of the first challenges she encountered was the overwhelmingly male-dominated nature of the sector.
“It was rare to see female employees or executives on ships, in shipyards, or around boardroom tables. Women were mostly assigned to specific office-based roles.”
“In the past five years, the number of female employees in the industry has increased significantly. At ACCOMAR, we actively support this progress. Currently, 40% of our team is made up of women, and we carefully evaluate every application to increase this ratio even further.”
The Dynamics of Being a Woman Leader
Asar notes that being a woman in leadership comes with its own set of dynamics. “Leadership is not something that should be evaluated based on gender; it’s a process of continuous learning,” she begins. “But especially in a male-dominated sector like maritime, being a woman leader requires an extra layer of struggle.”
“Success is always people-oriented. For women leaders, maintaining that balance requires additional effort. In a patriarchal system, being not just a manager but also a woman brings a different dynamic. I believe that’s why women are more open and ambitious when it comes to self-development. This is one of the reasons their influence and visibility in the business world continue to grow.”
One comment from her early days in the industry particularly stayed with her: “Over time, you’ll become like us; you’ll learn the jargon,” she was told. But instead of simply adapting, she became one of those who helped shift the industry itself. “We worked on transforming the jargon into something more inclusive and constructive. It’s great to see the results of that effort today.”
For Derya Asar, leadership is also about a mindset: “I believe in team spirit, inclusiveness, and constant learning. I always share what I know without hesitation. My door, my phone—they’re always open. I do my best to support development. I strive to be inclusive, constructive, and fair. I think this is especially important in sectors like maritime, where various service groups work together. When I board ships and they call me ‘big sister,’ it makes me smile. Achieving success together and celebrating it together is very important to me.”
The Power of Women: Strategy, Foresight, and Solution-Oriented Thinking
According to Asar, one of the greatest values women bring to the industry is their attention to detail and openness to growth. “We see that women statistically participate in personal development courses and training programs much more than men. Their drive to improve themselves is very strong. In addition, women’s strategic and multi-tasking skills, their sense of design and foresight, emotional intelligence, and intuition all contribute significant added value to the business world.”
She emphasizes that the ability to find quick solutions is a critical skill in maritime, and that this is one of her strengths. “I have an impatient nature—I never delay a task. In maritime, where fast decision-making and planning are vital, I believe this trait helped me adapt more easily.”
Success, Change, and Pride
Derya Asar believes wholeheartedly that there’s nothing a woman cannot achieve. She emphasizes the importance of increasing the presence of women in every field and sector. “I don’t believe there’s anything a woman can’t accomplish—if she truly wants it. As a manager, I wear my high heels when needed, and I also put on my work clothes and board the ship when necessary. During the day, there can be many reasons to be in many different places. What matters isn’t where you are, how you dress, or whether you’re wearing makeup—it’s the impact you make.”
She notes that the industry is changing and that women are becoming more visible. Asar concludes with a powerful message: “Even in a traditional and challenging field like maritime, women can achieve great success. Today, the presence of women in the sector is growing, and being part of this transformation is a great source of pride for me. At ACCOMAR, we are one of the best examples of this change.”
Wishing to see more women in the maritime industry… Happy International Women’s Day!
