Marwa Elselehdar’s name will go down in history. In a matter of weeks, she is expected to become the first woman in Egypt to earn the rank of ship's captain.
But on her journey towards achieving this, Ms Elselehdar has faced years of discrimination on account of her gender.
While this began when she was a cadet in the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport regional university, 12 years ago, it reached a whole new level in recent weeks.
"I was being accused of steering the ship that got stuck in the Suez Canal, while I was stationed on a totally different vessel," she told The National.
On March 23, 400-metre long, 220,000-tonne cargo ship the Ever Given became wedged across the Suez Canal, completely blocking the vital waterway.
This created a tailback of more than 300 vessels, with the disruption costing billions of dollars, before the Ever Given was freed six days later.
At the time of the incident, Ms Elselehdar, 30, was serving on the Aida IV, a training and supply ship for an isolated lighthouse in the Red Sea.
Days earlier, a Saudi-based news outlet ran a profile of the first officer, marking her achievements.
But cyberbullies took that story and rigged it with a fake headline blaming her for blocking the Suez Canal.
"I was shocked. That was my name linked to that event. My reputation, that I worked so hard on, was being tainted," Ms Elselehdar said.
In the wake of the fake story, the bullying centred around the age-old stereotype that "women can't drive" and that they are less capable than men, especially in male-dominated fields.
"Women have been pillars in Egyptian history and even now, during the coronavirus pandemic, have proven to the world what they are truly capable of," Ms Elselehdar said.
She has worked diligently to tell her story since the false accusation, and in doing so has garnered international support.
“I have had an outpouring of encouragement and many questions, too – about the nature of my field, its requirements and job opportunities – from men and women alike.
“This was a blessing in disguise,” Ms Elselehdar said.
Women in the maritime industry often get administrative roles, ones that do not entail being aboard a ship full of men for up to 18 months at a time.
“That was my main concern when I started. I had many moments of weakness where I felt like giving up. But my mom, who is my biggest supporter, always told me to keep going.”
Ms Elselehdar said she had to mature rapidly to deal with the difficult circumstances involved in long voyages and her unique work environment.
“As an Arab woman, it was important to me to make sure that I am being given the privacy and respect that complement my culture and my values.
"My cabin now is like my room. The ship, my second home and my crewmates, my second family.”
The first officer is just weeks away from taking her oral exam to become a captain, but getting to this point has not been easy. It has required her to "prove" her competence time and time again.
“Whenever someone directs a judgmental or discriminatory comment at me, I just challenge them to find a shortcoming in my professionalism and capabilities," she said.
"It means always having to ensure that I am doing my best.”
Ms Elselehdar said that although her detractors were numerous, grounding herself in a community of supporters and keeping in touch with her mentors gave her strength.
"I was really touched when my teachers, idols and mentors all reached out to me during the ordeal to make sure that I was OK.
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This satellite imagery released by Maxar Technologies shows a close up overview of the MV Ever Given container ship and tugboats in the Suez Canal. AFP / Maxar Technologies -
The guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey (CG 61), left, and the guided-missile destroyer USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116) sail behind the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) during a Suez Canal transit, in this picture taken April 2, 2021 and released by U.S. Navy. Reuters -
In this photo released by Suez Canal Authority, the Ever Given, a Panama-flagged cargo ship, is pulled by one of the Suez Canal tugboats, in the Suez Canal, Egypt. AP Photo -
A spectator waves as the Ever Given container ship moves along the Suez Canal towards Ismailia after being freed from the canal bank in Suez, Egypt. Bloomberg -
A man waves at the Panama-flagged MV 'Ever Given' container ship as it is tugged in Egypt's Suez Canal after it was fully dislodged from the banks, near Suez city. AFP -
A view shows Ever Given container ship in Suez Canal in this Maxar Technologies satellite image. Satellite image ©2021 Maxar Technologies/Handout via Reuters -
A handout photograph made available by the Suez Canal Authority shows the Ever Given container ship after it was refloated in the Suez Canal, Egypt. EPA -
A handout photograph made available by the Suez Canal Authority shows the Ever Given container ship after it was refloated in the Suez Canal, Egypt. The head of the Suez Canal Authority announced on 29 March that the large container ship, which ran aground in the Suez Canal on 23 March, is now free floating after responding to the pulling maneuvers. EPA -
People watch Ever Given, a Panama-flagged cargo ship, that has been stuck sideways and blocked traffic in Egypt's Suez Canal, move past after it was set free by salvage teams. AP Photo -
People watch as the container ship 'Ever Given' is refloated, unblocking the Suez Canal in Suez, Egypt. This morning the container ship came partly unstuck from the shoreline, where it ran aground in the canal last Tuesday, and later resumed its course shortly after 3pm local time. Getty Images -
A view of the Panama-flagged MV 'Ever Given' (operated by Taiwan-based Evergreen Marine) container ship, a 400-metre- (1,300-foot-)long and 59-metre wide vessel, as it remains lodged sideways impeding traffic across Egypt's Suez Canal waterway. AFP -
Ship Ever Given, one of the world's largest container ships, is seen after it was fully floated in Suez Canal, Egypt. Suez Canal Authority/Handout via Reuters -
The container ship 'Ever Given' is refloated, unblocking the Suez Canal in Suez, Egypt. This morning the container ship came partly unstuck from the shoreline, where it ran aground in the canal last Tuesday, and later resumed its course shortly after 3pm local time. Getty Images -
The container ship 'Ever Given' is moving in the Suez Canal, Egypt. The Suez Canal Authority on 29 March said that traffic is to resume after the large container ship 'Ever Given' was refloated. EPA
"They gave me words of wisdom to go on, and spoke to me like a colleague, an equal,” she said.
The Egypt-based Arab Women in Maritime Association also rallied behind Ms Elselehdar, launching the hashtag #awima_support_capt_marwaelselhdar.
“Having such an empowering association behind me, who made such an effort to dispel all the rumours surrounding me, made me feel like we, as women, can really be there for each other,” she said.
Earning the rank of captain will qualify Ms Elselehdar to take charge of any type of ship.
“As long as we keep our professionalism, nobody will be able to say that we can’t do exactly what our peers do.”
