Women at Sea: Zimasa Mabela and Jasmin Labarda

Kim Chakanetsa finds out what it's like to run a ship in South Africa and the Philippines.

Zimasa Mabela is the first African woman to command a navy vessel. Commander Mabela is in charge of a de-mining ship based in Cape Town, South Africa. She grew up two hours from the sea, but only saw it for the first time aged 18. A few years later she felt compelled to join the navy so she could see the world. Zimasa was recruited as a radio operator and has travelled around the world to countries like India, Canada and Uruguay. She says she's very happy to have shown that a woman can not only join the navy, but that she can end up in charge.

Jasmin Labarda is the first woman, and Filipino, to become the Chief Mate and a senior Dynamic Positioning officer of an offshore ship. She is currently navigating Technip's flagship vessel, the Deep Blue, which lays pipe along the ocean floor. Having first served on a tanker vessel at the age of 17, Jasmin worked her way up the ranks and in 2010 passed the Master Mariner's exam, which means that she is a licensed ship's captain. Jasmin is looking forward to the time when she finally can take up that sought-after Captain's position.

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Left: Zimasa Mabela (Credit: South African Navy)
Right: Jasmin Labarda (Credit: Alecs Ongcal/Rappler taken in IMOSTI)