PNG Ports Corporation Limited (PNG Ports) has recruited its first female marine pilot.
She was part of the PNG Ports Maritime Cadetship Program’s first intake in 2010, and it took her about 10 years at sea, much grit, and a very supportive partner to successfully complete the program, clock in the required sea-time, and eventually be employed full time by PNG Ports.
In between, she also raised two children, a son and daughter born in 2016 and 2020 respectively, had to be away from them for months, but with the support of her partner and her mother, she persevered. 
“It was not smooth sailing as a female pursuing a career as a seafarer,” said Ruth Philip.
“It is largely a male dominated industry with very few female Papua New Guineans.”
“You have to be accepted first before you can be respected, and that takes time and challenges,” she said.
“But lucky for me, I started my sea-time on a Steamships vessel which had two other females on board as well, so we worked together, with our male counterparts.”
“One of the main challenges I faced was after I got my Certificate of Competency. I had to work with men who had been out at sea much longer than myself, but I overcame that by proving that I knew my job and was out to get it done,” she said.
Her sentiments are not isolated to PNG, as females the world over have had to overcome ‘undesirable discrimination’, often abandoning their maritime career for one on land.
Ships and their facilities were traditionally built for male crew, and with the recent rise of females entering the profession, adjustments had to be made to cater for females on board.
“In terms of sacrifices, I took in total a year off to have each of my children. I left for sea when my son was just six weeks old, and my daughter at two months.”
“It was a tough journey, and wasn’t easy at all, but if you have a dream, you got to put your mind to it and reach for your goals.”
Ms Philip paid tribute to past female seafarers who dared to test unchartered waters, paving way for others like her to succeed.
She also commended fellow male seafarers whose support, guidance and acceptance had seen her through.
She spent nearly 10 years doing sea time with various shipping agents: P&O, Svitzer PNG Ltd, Steamships, Morobe Coastal Shipping, V Ships and U Sky Ltd.
She was last with Consort Express Lines, before joining the PNG Ports Pilotage team in Port Moresby as a Trainee Marine Pilot.
CEO of PNG Ports, Neil Papenfus, welcomed Philip into PNG Ports, saying her success was a win for all women in maritime and a testament of PNG Ports’ on-going effort and commitment toward a direction that can calibrate individual ambitions in alignment with business goals.
“We at PNG Ports are proud to have been part of this story knowing very well that your progress as a role model to other aspiring PNG and Pacific female seafarers signifies our shared mission: To contribute to the prosperity of our nation.”
“PNG Ports is happy to be contributing to the development of sea farers in PNG,” he said.
Ms Philip attained her Mate 4 in 2013, and in 2014, was released by PNG Ports to do mandatory sea time. In 2017, she returned to the PNG Maritime College in Madang to do her Class 3, and subsequently obtained her Mate 2 in 2022.
Since its inception in 2010, the PNG Ports Maritime Cadetship Program has recruited 23 cadets-turned seafarers, six of whom hold full time positions with PNG Ports, and six current cadets, one a female deck cadet, Janice Semoso.
The rest are out in the field pursuing their dreams as sea farers.
PNG Ports Corporation Limited (PNG Ports), the owner of 15 of PNG’s ports including the international terminals of Port Moresby and Lae, is pleased to announce the appointment of Deborah Onga as Chief Commercial Officer, effective 1 April 2025.
