Ms. HEO Eunjung, KR Senior Surveyor was selected to receive a Letter of Commendation for the first IMO Gender Equality Award.

The IMO Gender Equality Award was established by the IMO Council at its 128th session in December 2022 to recognize contributions to the empowerment of women and the strengthening of gender equality in the maritime sector. The inaugural recipients of the Award and Commendations have been selected by the Assessment Panel.

The Assessment Panel recommended Ms. Despina Panaiotou Theodosiou, former President of the Women's International Shipping and Trading Association, as the recipient of the first IMO Gender Equality Award. Recipients of the Letters of Commendation include Ms. HEO Eunjung, KR Senior Surveyor, Mr. Mikael Skov (Hafnia CEO), Ms. Sanjam Sahi Gupta (Sitara Shipping Ltd Director), Commodore Amit Srivastava (Indian Navy) and Ms. Camille Dyan A. Simbulan (Head of Communications and Special Projects for Women and Youth of the Associated Marine Officers' and Seamen's Union of the Philippines (AMOSUP)).

After joining KR in 2011, Ms. HEO has been involved in IMO's Carriage of Cargoes and Containers (CCC) since 2019, laying the groundwork for IMO's safety regulation of alternative fuels for ships. She has also actively participated in mentoring programs for female students in maritime careers as a board member of the Women in Maritime Association Korea.

KR is proud to have Ms. HEO receive this prestigious recognition, and we will continue our support for women seafarers in maritime organizations worldwide.

The IMO Gender Equality Award Ceremony is scheduled for 18 May at the IMO headquarters in London, United Kingdom, in celebration of International Women Seafarers' Day.