Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

DIVERSITY PROGRAM

OUR VISION: Establish a pilot corps that reflects the people of Washington State by increasing the diversity of state licensed pilots.

The Washington State Board of Pilotage Commissioners (BPC) strongly supports inclusion and diversity in pilotage. In April 2022, the Board transitioned the BPC/PSP Joint Diversity Committee (JDC), established in 2016, to the BPC Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee (DEIC) with the goal to: promote diversity in the Washington state-licensed marine pilot corps. See below for additional Information regarding DEIC.

View IMO's video Turning the Tide, promoting gender diversity in the maritime industry internationally.

Resources and Support

Women's International Shipping and Trade Association (WISTA)

Sea Sisters

Women Offshore

Organization of Black Maritime Graduates (OBMG)

Melanated Mariners

Maritime Employment Resource Guide - Center For Wooden Boats

Washington State Ferries

Washington State Office of Equity

Elizabeth Marami is the first female maritime pilot in E. Africa. Click image for a short YouTube video about Elizabeth.

The BPC representatives attend several conferences every year focused on diversity in maritime including Cal Maritime's Women in Maritime Leadership, MARAD's Women on the Water, and Women Offshore's annual conferences and Inclusion Summits.

Puget Sound pilot Captain Sandy Bendixen is the first woman to be licensed as a maritime pilot in Washington State. Read her story here! Photo courtesy of the Northwest Seaport Alliance.