Captain Constansa Torrejon-Reyes

Meet Captain Constansa Torrejon-Reyes

As a 25-year-old female captain, Torrejon-Reyes is a bit of an outlier. According to the International Transport Workers ‘ Federation, women make up an estimated 2 percent of the world’s maritime workforce. In the United States, less than 8 percent of all ship and boat Captains and operators.

I never really saw a female captain until I got here,” Torrejon-Reyes said. Originally from Chile, she came to the U.S. for her education — she attended SUNY Maritime College in the Bronx and an opportunity on the water.

She grew up in Coquimbo, a port city in Chile, constantly seeing boats and big ships. Her siblings are involved with the water — as a diver, a mate, and the fishing boat operator— but she never saw female captains in Chile.

“My mom never thought I’d be [piloting] boats; she never thought I’d be a captain,” she said. “In my case, it’s a cultural thing. People don’t expect women to be captains. My family expected me to be a nurse or a teacher.”

Take a look at her inspirational story here:

https://www.pix11.com/2018/04/21/see-the-east-river-from-the-view-of-nyc-ferry-captain