IMO Gender Equality Award to go to Professor Momoko Kitada

Professor Momoko Kitada, Nippon Foundation Professorial Chair in Gender and Innovation; Head, Maritime Education & Training at the World Maritime University (WMU), has been selected to receive the 2025 IMO Gender Equality Award, following her nomination by Japan.  

The Award is bestowed on individuals who have made significant contributions to advancing gender equality and the empowerment of women in the maritime sector.   

The IMO Council endorsed Professor Kitada as the recipient during its 135th session held in London (20-21 November 2025), to receive the award in May 2026, alongside celebrations for the International Day for Women in Maritime (18 May).

Professor Momoko Kitada  is a former seafarer and was awarded a PhD in Social Science from Cardiff University, United Kingdom. She joined WMU in 2011 and serves as Full Professor and Head of Maritime Education and Training (MET). She coordinates and teaches in other MSc specializations, including Maritime Energy Management (MEM), as well as the Postgraduate Diploma in Maritime Energy and the Summer Academy on Maritime Decarbonization.

Professor Kitada leads WMU’s collaboration efforts with IMO, which supports women’s integration in the maritime sector. She is a certified Gender Audit Facilitator and a certified expert in Monitoring and Evaluation as well as Impact Evaluation. 

Professor Kitada actively incorporates gender perspectives in her interdisciplinary teaching in maritime subjects, including maritime education and training, maritime energy management, sustainable development, capacity building, digitalization and innovation, and research methodology. She has 20 years of research experience in gender equality in the maritime and ocean sectors.

The IMO Gender Equality Award was established by IMO to recognize individuals, irrespective of their gender, who have made significant contributions to advancing gender equality and the empowerment of women in the maritime sector.