Participation of Ecuadorian Women in the Maritime Oil Transportation Sector

Abstract

It has been commonly observed that women in Latin America, including Ecuadorian women, tend to prioritize the responsibility of domestic work such as childrearing, while studying at university to get qualified for and gain access to the professional positions at work. In the Ecuadorian oil transportation sector, for example, all clerical and administrative positions are traditionally assigned to women and with very few exceptions; women do not occupy high-ranking positions in chartering, planning and financial areas. The oil transportation business in Ecuador has been dominated by a single company owned by the Ecuadorian Navy, EP Flota Petrolera Ecuatoriana (FLOPEC), where all key positions are reserved for male retired navy officers who are appointed by the Board of Directors, chaired by the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy. This reality, and the fact that the only company dedicated to the oil transportation business belongs to the navy, which has been always led by men, has made an impact on the ways of professional growth. As a result, it is possible to argue that limited opportunities were given to women to pursue a management career inside FLOPEC. The company, by law, is forced to deal with a domestic monopolist market. Hence, the lack of competitiveness has led to limitation in terms of the development and growth of the company itself, as well as the timely training and professionalization of human resources. This paper aims to analyze the role of women in the Maritime Oil Transport Sector in Ecuador and offer some practical suggestions for the integration of women in this sector in the future.