Esmeralda Vlot, Marine Engineer Officer
On this website, women from the maritime sector share their stories. This is the story Esmeralda Vlot.
What kind of work do you do?
I sail around the world aboard seagoing vessels as a Marine Engineer Officer. I started out on cargo ships, and currently I’m on expedition ships that sail in the Arctic and Antarctic regions. My work includes standing watch, performing maintenance, and solving failures in the engine room, where I take turns standing watch with several other engineers.
Every day I’m working with technology; all electrical, mechanical, and technical systems fall under our management, and it’s up to us to keep them running and solve problems as they arise. Unexpected challenges and solution-oriented work in an engine room team made up entirely of men who share the same passion, surrounded by the smell and sound of roaring engines—it’s wonderful!
Does being a woman play a role in your work?
On the cargo ships I’ve sailed, I was the only woman on board. That wasn’t always easy; even during my internships, things unfortunately didn’t always go smoothly. I love bringing some femininity on board, like a small plant in the Engine Control Room, conversations about makeup, and painting flowers on the floor in the engine room. There are many more women on the expedition ships, including in the hotel department and housekeeping. In my daily work, being a woman doesn’t play a role, aside from the fact that some men treat you differently. But as long as you do your job well and show what you’re capable of, it’s never a problem. You eventually earn the men’s respect, and then it’s a really pleasant and friendly work environment. You just have to work a little harder for it sometimes.
What do you like most about your job?
Seeing the world: we get to go to the most beautiful places. It’s a privilege to go ashore in different countries and visit places (if there’s time in between work). I’ve already seen so many amazing places, from Istanbul to the South Pole! Working with people from different cultures is also fantastic; you learn so much about the world and everything else that exists beyond your own familiar life. When you work, live, celebrate holidays, laugh, and cry together, you form a very close bond. It can really feel like a family, with brothers and cousins all around you who tease you and with whom you can have fun. Sometimes you make enemies, sometimes friends for life, and above all, memories that will stay with you forever. The best part—what we ultimately do it for as Engineers—is the work itself!
On the cargo ships I’ve sailed, I was the only woman on board. That wasn’t always easy
