JOANNE Stanley has made it in what has been traditionally a male-dominated career, being appointed captain of a 800 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) container vessel Castilla De Oro.
The Kiwi-born Joanne, who also holds the record of being the first woman in New Zealand to obtain a master's certificate, in August 1990, has been employed by Jardine Ship Management which manages the vessel.
''I am a bit nervous,'' she said, but expects her 12 years experience at sea to serve her in good stead.
Miss Stanley, who is to take command of her vessel from next Tuesday, said she was encouraged by her father to go to sea, although he himself never sailed.
''My father did not go to sea because he was grandma's baby and at that time a career at sea meant being away from home for long periods of time, like three years,'' she said.
But his work with a shipping agency in her home town, the port of Lyttelton, brought him in close contact with the maritime industry.
She recalls that he even showed her the picture of the first woman to go to sea, Mrs Yeondle Roselyne, who worked with the New Zealand Steamship Co.