#MasterMariners - The Irish Institute of Master Mariners, the professional body for shipmasters, has elected a woman to lead the organisation for the first time.
Capt Sinead Reen was also the first woman to qualify as a deck officer, having studied at CIT Cork where Nautical Science courses were held before they were transferred to the new National Maritime College at Ringaskiddy, where she now lectures.
She was also the first Irish woman to gain a Certificate of Competency as a Master Mariner and has served at sea aboard supertankers, but she now resides in Crosshaven with her husband, fellow Master Mariner Cormac MacSweeney.
Capt Reen's election underlines the opportunities of a career at sea for women in what has been a male-dominated profession.
The Irish Institute of Master Mariners promotes safe, efficient and professional conduct in the public and commercial maritime sectors. It is a member of the International Federation of Shipmaster's Associations and the Confederation of European Shipmasters.
