Breaking Waves and Breaking Stereotypes: Female Harbour Pilot shares her experience

Amidst the grandeur of colossal vessels, Harbour Pilot Nora commands respect, navigates challenges, and conquers the waves.

By Aiswarya D/O Madasamy and Sofia Binte Mohammad Fahmy

“As women, we always have to strive to be three times better at our job than men.”

This was said by one of the first few female harbour pilots in Singapore. There are countless women in different parts of the world actively steering their lives in the direction they want and our society has to continue supporting them and lifting them up.

Norana Mokhtar, codename Nora, 41, a mother to five children, a wife and a harbour pilot who has been working in the maritime industry for the past 14 years, is an exceptional woman. The term ‘harbour pilot’ itself is a foreign word to many, and as a woman, she has soared through the challenges and triumphs of life which has allowed her to be an inspiration for multitudes of women in the society we live in. Nora is a unique individual who pursued her education in Nautical Studies and Electrical and Instrumentation Control Engineering. She has been a staunch advocate for women’s welfare in the local maritime industry, motivating change, and breaking countless boundaries.

Pilot of the seas by day and guardian of her family by night, Nora finds a balance between the two. (PHOTO: NORANA MOKHTAR)

From Teaching to Sailing, She Found Her Calling

In her youth, Nora, like many young adults, grappled with uncertainty about her future. Initially, she took on a temporary role as a kindergarten teacher, earning enough just for her to get by, despite her lack of qualifications. However, driven by her passion and an insatiable curiosity to explore the world, she made a bold decision to embark on a new journey.

Awarded a scholarship through the Singapore Maritime Academy, she pursued a diploma in Nautical Studies under Singapore Polytechnic and joined MAERSK after graduation. Sailing with them for five years, that was her first proper job for the biggest shipping company in the world. With her undying passion for wanting to explore the world, she sailed worldwide and found her purpose and happiness.

Nora recalled her past, “After sailing around the world for a long time I decided it was time to anchor myself and settle down. I had my first son at 25 while I was sailing and I wanted to bring him back to Singapore from the Philippines. Back then, I used to stay in the cabin and it was time I made a change for him and myself to finally be together.”

In 2010, she acquired her inaugural pilotage licence and established her permanent residence in Singapore. Her role as a harbour pilot is to skillfully guide large incoming vessels into Singapore's waters. This responsibility necessitates her ability to maintain highly effective communication with a diverse array of ship captains. She engages with captains from various corners of the globe, spanning from the United States to Europe, deftly leading them to various destinations such as oil terminals, shipyards, container ports, and anchorage in Singapore.

During the disembarkation of cargoes, Nora is on board a vessel with a Welsh captain and crew members in the wheelhouse of the ship.

(PHOTO: NORANA MOKHTAR)

Nora mentioned “Once the ships have discharged their cargoes I will go on board to ensure their safe passage as they rejoin the open sea again. Once I get into the momentum it feels rewarding to play such an important role in something of immense significance to our country.”

Being a harbour pilot means a significant amount of physical exertion and differs greatly from a conventional 9 to 5 job sitting at a desk and doing paperwork. Harbour piloting offers the best of both worlds. It is perfect for someone who wants to stay connected to their family while pursuing a profession in the maritime industry much like Nora.

Being a harbour pilot entails plenty of danger and risks. Every day our devoted Harbour Pilots in Singapore go out there and face the most beautiful calm weather and also the tempests that follow. With Singapore situated in Southeast Asia, we are not likely to encounter hurricanes. However, these harbour pilots steer against the strong currents and winds to safely bring the ships in and out.

Nora in the wheelhouse of the ship, or as the mariners call it, ‘The Bridge’. As a harbour pilot, her responsibility is to assume command of the vessel and navigate it safely into the port. This handover typically occurs at the designated ‘Boarding Ground’, located beyond Singaporean waters, where the vessel comes to a halt to allow the pilot to embark.

(PHOTO: NORANA MOKHTAR)

Charting a New Course for the Future

Mohammad Fahmy, codename Fahm, 47, an Operational Manager and Pilot Auditor, is one of the many senior harbour pilots in Singapore since he joined in 2008. A senior to Nora, he described how Nora has flourished in her profession and takes pride in everything she does as well as having an open mind during her time at work.

Nora (on the right, wearing a black jacket), Fahm (on the left, wearing a blue cap) and their harbour pilot colleagues catching up over lunch after work.

(PHOTO: SOFIA BINTE MOHAMMAD FAHMY AND AISWARYA MADASAMY)

With the growth in society, female pilots are gradually receiving equal opportunities as men in the maritime industry. Nonetheless, owing to a meticulous selection procedure and the stringent requirements for exceptional work ethics, candidates are chosen for the position with great care.

Furthermore, there is an increase in the number of women who are interested in this field of work and are eager to challenge themselves and bring about positive change. The world is continuously working towards making a significant change in gender equality and there has been positive growth, especially by allowing women to embrace motherhood while going after what they want in life.

In the past, when women worked as harbour pilots, they were bound by a contract to be fit for duty. This meant that they were discouraged from getting pregnant. Nora, who was married, and had strong connections with numerous female harbour pilots in the industry, did plenty of research and advocated for change within her union and the company. Nora worked closely with the International Law Organisation and Ministry of Manpower, ultimately convincing the Human Resources department to allow female harbour pilots to bear children.

“My pregnancy was the first ever one after my company passed the policy that female harbour pilots could conceive a child while working,” Nora recalled.

Fortunately, with Singapore encouraging more couples to have children, the maritime industry became more receptive to allowing female harbour pilots to balance their profession with motherhood.

Nora (left, wearing a grey shirt) and her harbour pilot colleagues on their lunch break.

(PHOTO: NORANA MOKHTAR, courtesy of MOHAMMAD FAHMY)

Valuable advice born from prior experience

Throughout her 14 years of unwavering service, Nora actively pursued various avenues to enrich her nautical expertise, embracing fresh insights daily that extended beyond the boundaries of traditional classrooms. While she acknowledged the significance of her academic knowledge in her career, she stressed that the wisdom gained through hands-on experience held unparalleled value.

“I learnt that having people skills is very important. Even though I am not required to do that as a pilot, I realised if you forge good relationships with the people on board, or with the bridge team, it makes the job so much easier,” she reflects.

She recognizes the importance of cultivating strong bonds with her colleagues, as these connections foster a sense of camaraderie among those she encounters on board

Nora and the crew on board the vessel PAPANDAYAN, after navigating it to Singapore’s port. It is a 4-year-old Indonesian vessel built in 2019 that is an ‘Oil Products Tanker’.

(PHOTO: NORANA MOKHTAR)

Apart from ‘general pilot knowledge’ like ship handling, she also mentioned the importance of perseverance.

“In this field of work, it’s easy to get discouraged, especially if you thought that you did your best at work,” she starts.

She notes that in such situations, it is essential to maintain a positive mindset, and emphasises the importance of having a strong mental fortitude when offering advice to aspiring harbour pilots.

“I think mentally, you should be prepared to face people looking down on you initially when you're not yet skilled.”

Though afraid it might rub off the wrong way, she mentioned how everything starts with the mind. “Something like reverse psychology, you need to prove (to yourself in your mind) that you are competent before people know that you are competent.”

She recognizes the challenges of achieving competence in a male-dominated maritime industry, but she does not dwell on them. Instead, she harnesses that awareness as a source of motivation, pushing herself to exceed her own limits with unwavering determination and resilience.

“I don't know whether that’s fortunate or unfortunate for ladies, because we are a minority in the industry. Not that it is a bad thing, but when you do (something) good, either you need to do three times as good as the ‘man’, or maybe more (than a man) for them to acknowledge that you are as good as them.”

But that was all in the past.

“That's how I started, but it looks like times have changed,” she smiles. “Now, when a lady does (something) good, she will stand out, and people will notice that she's good.”

Over the course of her piloting career, most of the feedback she received from captains she had worked with was their preference for female pilots.

“Most (of the) captains said that they prefer lady pilots because they usually bring the ships (back to the port) more safely and gently,” she recalls.

She added that it was in a woman’s nature to be very particular about how they do their job.

“To me, it’s like we can do the job, but we don't want to just do the job. We want to do a very good job. We strive to do our best every time.”

As the tides turn, and times progress, a woman’s accomplishments shine brightly, and their excellence is readily acknowledged. This positive change not only emphasises the industry’s progress but also serves as a powerful reminder of the value of diversity and inclusivity.

Nora and 2 female crew on board a vessel back in 2020 during the pandemic.

(PHOTO: NORANA MOKHTAR)

Inspiring her children to navigate new horizons

Nora had thoughtfully contemplated the idea that her children, growing up in the presence of her maritime career, might find themselves drawn to a similar journey, motivated by her dedicated footsteps in the maritime world.

"Regardless of whether it's my son or daughter, my stance would always be neutral; neither encouraging nor discouraging (their passion).”

She firmly believes in providing honest insights about the industry so that her children would get a realistic picture of what is to come.

“I believe in supporting individuals in pursuing their passions while preparing them for the challenges they may encounter, ensuring they understand that it's not always a smooth journey.”

While she recognizes that her journey to her current position was not without its challenges, she harbours no regrets regarding the decisions she made. The invaluable experience she gained as a harbour pilot, even amidst adversity, has proven to be exceptionally satisfying and profoundly fulfilling.

“Life is short, and it's important to follow one's dreams. I'll wholeheartedly support my children’s decisions, but as their mother, I want to provide them with a realistic perspective, so they are fully prepared for the path they choose."