Muller has over 35 years of experience in her industry. She is an active member of the International Salvage Union (ISU), chairing its Salvage sub-committee, and engages with other shipping industry bodies, such as the European Tug Owners’ Association (ETA) and the Royal Dutch Shipowners Association.
Most recently, Muller was appointed as a board member of the Shipowners’ Club, of which Multraship has been a longstanding member.
“As a board member of the Shipowners’ Club, I aim to provide advice and governance from a tug owners and salvage industry perspective. At Multraship, we offer peace of mind to our clients, stakeholders, staff, and third-party suppliers by delivering expert services that ensure operational efficiency and build trust,” she adds.
Reflecting on last week’s International Women’s Day, Muller has observed a shift in attitudes towards diversity and equality in the industry. However, she stresses that there is still a long way to go.
“Despite progress towards gender equality and greater emphasis on promoting and delivering on diversity and inclusion goals, gender balance in the maritime industry is still very much a work in progress,” Muller comments.
“Not only do we need more female inclusion across all levels of industry, but we need women to be more visible. This will inspire younger generations to consider careers in the maritime sector. Men still dominate panels and speaker roles at conferences; as a basic example, women are still underrepresented. This needs to change.”
Gender equality and inclusivity
Fostering enthusiasm in maritime across the board is critical. By encouraging diverse talent to join the industry, more dynamism can be fostered, which will, in turn, improve capabilities and help address the key challenges that lie ahead; the road to achieving net zero in 2050 is among them.
She says it is essential to attract young people who are passionate about sustainability to the industry.
“We must get them involved in greening the shipping industry. They need to realise they can make a difference in addressing climate change and promoting sustainability as part of the maritime industry.”
Creating the right blend of skills
The right blend of skills and encouraging different perspectives have proven crucial to improving efficiency and operational performance.
Fostering enthusiasm in maritime across the board is critical. Encouraging new and diverse talent to enter (or stay in) the industry will lead to more dynamism, which will, in turn, improve capabilities and help address the key challenges that lie ahead; the road to achieving net zero in 2050 is among them.
She says it is essential to attract young people who are passionate about sustainability to the industry.
“We must get them involved in greening the shipping industry. They need to realise they can make a difference in addressing climate change and promoting sustainability as part of the maritime industry.
Welcoming open dialogue with stakeholders and peers
She adds that collaboration between the maritime community, governments and other sectors is crucial. Towage and salvage industry organisations such as the ETA and ISU are actively engaging with stakeholders to find the best business solutions for the industry.
The ETA, for example, is collaborating with 12 other European associations to achieve sustainable and digital goals. Recently, a Joint Declaration titled “Charting a Course Towards a Resilient, Competitive, and Sustainable Future” was released.
Muller is grateful for the increased demand for Multraship’s services. With its geographically expanded area, Multraship has invested in additional vessels and grown its team at sea and onshore.
Project requirements and the continued need for emergency response services means maintaining a high quality fleet is crucial. Multraship’s response to the fire-stricken car carrier Fremantle Highway off the Dutch Coast last year is evidence of this.
"Sharing our expertise and insights is crucial, not just on tug and salvage issues, but also on the bigger-picture issues affecting our sector," says Muller.
We must invest in people, skills, and technologies to get there. Ultimately, this will enable us to achieve our goals and have a sustainable future,” she concludes.
