“What are you doing here? This job is not meant for you. We are still at port. You can go back home.”
These were the first few words that Romeeta Bundela heard from her manager as she stepped foot on a Maersk ship on her first day at work in December 2017. Being the first Indian female Electro Technical Officer (ETO) onboard the merchant vessel, the next four months were far from smooth sailing.
The 29-year-old had to adjust to being on a container vessel for months on end as an ETO at the Danish shipping and logistics company. The only woman in a sea of 20 men, she fought prejudices and preconceived notions, and silenced all naysayers through her proficiency at work.
A fascination for life on the sea made this girl from Bhusawal in Maharashtra’s Jalgaon district opt for this career. She has broken the proverbial glass ceiling starting from her educational institute — the Tolani Maritime Institute — where she was the first woman ETO candidate.
Over the past six years, she has grown in ranks, from an ETO to a senior ETO to a junior electrical superintendent. Presently, she is an ETO at Carnival UK, a cruise holiday company.
Here’s how Romeeta manages life on the sea. She shares how you too could consider a life in the merchant Navy!
Why can’t women excel at sea?
Romeeta had dreamed of joining the Indian Navy for as long as she could remember. However, when she couldn’t make it through, she began searching for the next best alternative. “I wanted to be on a ship and was ready to do whatever it took. A 9-5 job is not for me. I wanted a job that would allow me to travel the world,” Romeeta tells The Better India.
After pursuing electrical engineering, she applied to the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) for the position of an ETO. She shares that despite getting through, their batch was debarred. She then turned to the one with all the answers — ‘Google’ — to look for other options.
It’s here that she stumbled upon an ETO course at the Tolani Maritime Institute in Pune. This qualification would help her work in merchant ships. She appeared for the exam, after which she pursued the four-month course in 2017. She was the only woman among 40 other students and the first-ever female ETO cadet at Tolani.
This course involved a four-month training at the college followed by an eight-month training on ship. Electrical, electronics, electronics and telecommunication, electronics and communication, and electronics and instrumentation engineers are eligible for the course.
After completing the course, Romeeta joined Maersk. “I was the first Indian woman to join the shipping company in this position,” shares Romeeta with pride.
An ETO, or electrical officer, is responsible for all electrical, electronic, and control and automation systems onboard. They also manage reefers (cargo) on container vessels, explains the seafarer. In simple terms, they handle every electrical wire or cable.
“They [ETOs] are a crucial part of the team as everything is getting automated including all systems onboard. We handle electrical and electronics equipment, power management system, control and automation system, marine and deck safety equipment, lighting system, along with refrigeration and ventilation,” she adds.
Breaking the glass ‘sea’ling on international waters
It is common knowledge that the life of a seafarer is difficult. Being on a ship for three to four months, away from family and friends, with movement restricted to the vessel is no joke.
Romeeta recalls her first experience on a ship at Maersk. Her first contract was for four months and began from Singapore on a merchant vessel with 20 men. As mentioned earlier, she received a cold welcome even before she could place her suitcase in her cabin.
“My manager had never seen a woman in this role. He was really dominating and kept telling me that I couldn’t do this job. It was extremely demotivating. Imagine listening to this all the time! I survived the four months and proved him wrong through my work,” shares the ETO.
She proudly shares that at the end of her first contract, the same manager who had initially judged her conducted her appraisal. He gave her a good recommendation and told her, “I was wrong to judge you without seeing your work.”
As I interviewed Romeeta, I was forced to ponder how water has no ceiling, but even there, men have built a glass ceiling, which she successfully broke. “What gave you the strength and fortitude to face this?” I ask.
“Other colleagues were nice to me to my face but they all thought that I was not capable just because of my gender. Isn’t this the problem faced by women on land jobs too? All you can do is focus and work hard,” she replies.
By keeping her chin up and focusing on excelling at her job, she silenced all her critics. Girls can do everything, she proved, rather emphatically.
Her biggest challenge, she says, came amid the pandemic when she was stuck at sea for over nine months in China. In March 2020, she was on a cargo vessel, and with flights grounded, they had to stay on board and continue working. “We were stuck in China and had to wear PPE kits, coveralls, and masks. Life was hell as we had no flights back home. It was mental torture for all of us on board,” she shares.
Beyond this, being on sea definitely comes with challenges, as you have to work in the engine room in 50-55 centigrade temperatures! “It’s especially challenging during your ‘periods’. But I believe that you have to work hard to reach the top. A seafarer is a seafarer, it doesn’t have a gender,” she says.
Her ability to rise above challenges led to rapid advancement in her career, as she progressed from ETO to senior ETO to electrical superintendent in just four years.
‘At just 26, I handled 64 vessels’
“I was the first lady superintendent in Maersk and also the youngest one at 26. I handled 64 vessels and provided electrical support and remote resolution. I was responsible for various projects such as LED lights in vessels,” she says.
After her time at Maersk, she joined Carnival UK in 2023 as the third ETO in the cruise industry. Unlike a merchant vessel, which typically has only 21 employees, cruise ships have larger teams that include women, offering them more opportunities for interaction and a variety of recreational activities. Additionally, her stint onboard is just three months, compared to the four months required on a merchant vessel.
Serving on the Britannia, she has been able to fulfil her wish of travelling to different countries. “I’ve been a part of Norwegian and Baltic cruises. There is also a winter Caribbean cruise which is beautiful. I’ve visited Barbados, Antigua, the Middle East, and Europe. What I love about my job is that it gives me the opportunity to explore different parts of the world. You get to try local cuisines, understand cultures and much more. Our cruise itself has people from 65 nationalities.” says Romeeta, adding that she hopes to get promoted to the first ETO soon on the ship.
For a girl who had never stepped out of her comfort zone in Jalgaon, she is today a world traveller challenging societal norms and smashing gender stereotypes.
What’s her advice for women who want to consider a career at sea? “Don’t listen to what others say. People might say, ‘You’re a girl, what can you do?’. Don’t get demotivated and just focus on your career. You can do everything that a man can do, and more,” she remarks.
Romeeta shares tips for a career in the maritime industry on her Instagram channel, which you can check out here.
Edited by Pranita Bhat, Images Courtesy Romeeta Bundela
No comments:
Post a Comment