My name is Ashura Poroto, a proud maritime professional with a Bachelor’s degree in Maritime Transport and Nautical Science. I hold a Certificate of Competence as Officer in Charge of a Navigational Watch Reg II/1 Class 3 (Unlimited).

My career began at the grassroots level working as a sailor on a pilot boat under the Tanzania Ports Authority. From there, I joined MV Nyehunge II as a sailor, where I built foundational seamanship skills and gained invaluable practical experience.

Eager to grow, I became a deck cadet on tankers MT UKOMBOZI 1 and MT UKOMBOZI 2 under the Zanzibar Shipping Corporation (SHIPCO) for 13 months, an experience that was made even more empowering under the supervision of Women in Maritime Eastern and Southern Africa (WOMESA) Tanzania Chapter.

Today, I serve as a Third Officer on MV MPUNGU, a RORO Pax vessel of 2928 GT operated by Grindrod Logistic Africa, navigating across Uganda and Mwanza. With 4 years of hands-on sea service, my compass now points not only to the bridge but to higher goals in academic, professional, and managerial leadership within the maritime sector.

“When I first stepped onto a vessel, I wasn’t just stepping into a job. I was stepping into a purpose. The maritime world is vast and powerful, much like the women who dare to enter it. It will challenge you. It will stretch you. But it will also shape you into a force the ocean cannot ignore.

I began as a sailor, progressed through cadetship on tankers, and today, I stand proudly as a Third Officer navigating the world. I’ve learned that no dream is too distant when driven by determination and discipline.

To every young woman reading this you belong at sea. You belong at the helm. Don’t just aim to work in maritime, aim to lead it. Study hard, sail smart, ask questions, break stereotypes, and always believe that the bridge is only the beginning. The world needs more women captains, superintendents, and maritime executives and you can be one of them.

Let your journey be bold. Let your story be heard. Let your legacy inspire.”

Ashura Poroto