LEBANON – The Lebanese Chapter of the Arab Women in Maritime Association (AWIMA – Lebanon Chapter) was officially launched today at the Maritime Science and Technology Institute (MARSATI), under the patronage of the Directorate General of Land and Maritime Transport, with the participation of women working and leading in the maritime sector.

According to a statement, “The launch aims to strengthen women’s presence across different areas of the maritime industry and support their professional and leadership empowerment, in line with the regional association’s goals of promoting an inclusive and balanced work environment”.

The event opened with a speech by the Institute’s Director, Dr. Estefan Assal, who emphasized “the importance of establishing the Lebanese chapter as a step supporting women’s role in the national maritime sector”.

The Head of the Maritime Training Division at the Directorate General of Land and Maritime Transport – Ministry of Public Works and Transport, Maya Al-Tayyara, also welcomed the initiative, confirming “the Directorate’s support for everything that contributes to developing the sector”.

The agenda included presenting the draft constitution and internal regulations, approving the organizational framework of the chapter, and holding elections for the first executive board according to an approved voting mechanism.

The elections resulted in the formation of the executive board as follows: Hiba Bouarshi, President; Nada Halawi, Vice President; Christina Hanna, Secretary General; Nassim Saleh, Treasurer; Reham Jamal, Head of Media and Public Relations; Madonna Samaha, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer; Rachel Tadros, Project Management Officer; Sandra Khoury, Legal Advisor; Rachel Khchan, Membership Registration Officer; and Maya Al-Tayyara, Strategy Officer.

The elected board will lead the founding phase and prepare the annual work plan, with the next meeting scheduled for March 31, 2026.

The statement added that “the launch of the Lebanese chapter represents an organizational step to strengthen women’s participation in the maritime sector and develop professional cooperation frameworks at both national and regional levels”.