At the point of this interview, Syaza has completed 19 months of sea time and gained a bagful of adventures and interesting encounters. She recalled that during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the vessel that she was on was refused entry into the Port of Durban, South Africa.

“We had to adhere to very strict health and border law enforcement protocols. Those of us who were involved in the loading of provisions had all our boiler suits burnt as a precaution against infection,” she said.

Today, women represent only two percent of the world’s 1.2 million seafarers. “Women should not be afraid to take on challenges. It may seem daunting to be in a male-dominated field. I encourage aspiring female seafarers to work hard to achieve success and show everyone that it is possible for women in maritime to break barriers,” said Syaza.

When asked about her aspiration, Syaza determined, “I want to go all the way to be a captain one day.”