First Saudi Woman, Reem Alkhowaiter, wins ‘Young Woman Achiever of the Year’ at the ShipTek International

Ms. Reem Alkhowaiter is the recipient of ‘Young Woman Achiever of the Year’ award at ShipTek International Awards in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. This prestigious award makes Ms. Alkhowaiter the first-ever Saudi female recipient.

Ms. Alkhowaiter is currently working as a Marine Technical Engineer for Bahri[KM1]  national shipping company. Bahri is the largest owner and operator of Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) and chemical tankers in the Middle East. Ms. Alkhowaiter was the first female engineer employed by Bahri. She has previously represented the Kingdom in the ‘Arab Women Maritime Biofouling Management Workshop’ in Jeddah in partnership with the International Maritime Organization and participated in various IMO committee meetings in London at IMO HQ.

The ShipTek conference took place between the 24th-25th of January 2024, and is one of the leading conferences in the maritime sector. The ‘Young Achiever’ award seeks to recognise growing talent that is currently demonstrating excellence in their field. The nominations are based on specific criteria and are set by specialized experts in the sector.

This award showcases not only the individual achievements of Ms. Alkhowaiter, but also recognises the postive impact Saudi women have in the Maritime sector. The Kingdom is working to make the maritime sector more accessible for women as seen with the partnership with Supply Chain and Logistic Academy (SCALA) in Singapore and hosting the world’s first workshop dedicated to women in the biofouling sector, ‘Arab Women in Maritime: Biofouling Management Workshop.’ The Kingdom’s National Transport and Logistics Strategy (NTLS) in line with Vision 2030, and acts as the driving force for development and action, of which women are critical stakeholders to help achieve the aspirations.