UMWA and WIMOs team up to promote collaboration 

At the recent Upper Mississippi Waterway Association (UMWA) membership meeting in May, UMWA and the Women in Maritime Operations (WIMOs) teamed up.  

During the meeting at the St. Paul Port Authority, WIMOs member and VAA Senior Designer Nicole Siems presented to the group on the importance of both organizations and working together.  

WIMOs offers mentor programs, educational events and other resources, including membership in UMWA. She reported that 90 percent of members feel supported and committed to staying in the industry due to the WIMOs resources.  

“We are fortunate that we have UMWA as a partner to advocate for us and help us spread our message,” Siems said. “We work well together since we have similar goals. The river system, particularly the Upper Mississippi Waterway, is crucial for our farmers and our communities as a whole. We need the river transportation in the area to fuel the Midwest, deliver products and raw materials, grain, fertilizer, salt – you name it. And it’s at these facilities, on these rivers and waters, that our WIMOs members work and operate. We appreciate the work that UMWA does to advocate for this Upper Mississippi.” 

UMWA represents its members in front of legislators, during related events, through local media outlets – sharing the organization’s priorities and initiatives. UMWA is a reliable source of information for insights, opportunities and growth on the Upper Mississippi River and preservation of the working river. 

‘Not alone’  

WIMOs has similar goals of recruiting, retaining, advancing and promoting women in maritime. It started as a regional organization to support female professionals in maritime operations before expanding to a national organization after interest increased among women.  

Starting in New Orleans, WIMOs’ Twin Cities chapter was established in 2024.  

“We wanted women in maritime in this area to have an organization we can gather around to share in our experiences and have a way to expand our network and opportunities,” Siems said. “Since last year, we’ve grown our Twin Cities seed chapter from about three members to almost 20 members.” 

The chapter isn’t official yet, but it is well on its way. The organization is working to expand its reach to La Crosse, Wis. and Duluth, Minn/ Superior, Wis.  

“From there, I’d love to see events happening in various areas of the state to engage all our members,” Siems said. “I think one of the goals we’ve had since the beginning was to band together with the other women in maritime operations in the area. Women make up a small percentage of the maritime workforce, so even just knowing we’re not alone, or knowing members at different facilities or companies is huge. And once those connections are made, we can support each other in the industry and share in experiences.” 

According to WIMOs, women make up less than 30 percent of the global maritime workforce.  

WIMOs was founded in 2017 and has expanded to 30 U.S. states and three different countries in the short timeframe.  

“The collaboration between the Upper Mississippi Waterway Association and WIMOs is not just about gender diversity;” UMWA Chairman Jeremy Putnam said. “it’s about leveraging the strengths of each organization to address challenges, share knowledge and promote professional development opportunities for women in maritime fields.” 

Working with UMWA provides WIMOs with an opportunity to connect with more resources to bring even more benefits to their members. The organization is always interested in providing ways to engage its members and provide education in perspectives from the river, terminal operations, a course on water safety and more.  

“WIMOs wants our recruit, retain, advance, and promote women in the maritime industry through sharing knowledge and continuing education,” Siems said, “so partnering with UMWA and likeminded individuals just makes sense.”