Maritime CEO

Sitara Shipping: Consolidating leadership

Mumbai: In the second of a week-long special in collaboration with the Women’s International Shipping & Trade Association (WISTA), Maritime CEO is in India interviewing one of the leading NVOCCs. Sanjam Gupta heads up Sitara Shipping, she also founded the Indian chapter of WISTA, one of the world’s fastest growing memberships of the women’s shipping association.
 
Sitara was founded as a ship agency 32 years ago by Gupta’s father. The company moved into NVOCC operations in 1994. The area of focus these days is trade between the Indian sub-continent and the Middle East. When Gupta and her sister joined the firm in 2001, they saw there was a need to cater to the niche market of overdimensional cargo, and these days the company is very focused on this trade, including project cargoes.
 
“Increased competition from other NVOCCs due to a lack of entry barriers have pulled the freight rates down and eaten into our market share,” Gupta admits. However, she is adamant the plan is to consolidate Sitara’s position as a market leader as well as expanding geographically into the Red Sea and Asia.
 
Apart from container operations Sitara is strengthening its freight forwarding and dedicated chartering desks for project cargoes.
 
Gupta says she first heard about WISTA in 2003. However at that time despite the chairpersons of both major port trusts – Mumbai and JNPT – being women there were not many women in senior positions in Indian shipping.
 
Last year Gupta launched WISTA in India, a big launch held at the Shipping Corporation of India’s headquarters with more than 200 people attending.
 
Within a year the membership is now at 82 and has spread from Mumbai to include Chennai, Delhi, Cochin, Surat, Baroda and Hazira.
 
“WISTA India is one of the fastest growing WISTAs and we are providing a platform for women in the Indian shipping industry,” Gupta says. WISTA India is also mentoring students to pursue careers in shipping.  [05/11/13]
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association (WISTA) is an international organisation for women in management positions involved in the maritime transportation business and related trades worldwide. It is a major player in attracting more women to the industry and in supporting women in management positions. With networking, education and mentoring in focus, WISTA seeks to enhance members’ competence and empower career success. Visit the WISTA website at: http://www.wista.net/.

 

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