For Max Kantor, the maritime industry isn’t just a career; it’s part of her DNA.
Growing up in the harbors of Long Beach and Los Angeles, Max spent her childhood surrounded by ships and dockside operations. Her parents both worked in the port where they met, her mother as a VP at a stevedoring company and her father in shipboard operations. When it came time to choose a college, she discovered California State University Maritime Academy and, with her father’s encouragement, decided to give the license track a try. Fourteen years later, she’s still sailing, a decision that became the foundation of a remarkable career.
Max’s professional journey has taken her across sectors and seas, from her early years at Crowley and Alaska Tanker Company to leadership roles with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Hornbeck Offshore, and now as Chief Mate with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI). Along the way, she’s learned that leadership at sea is built on balance, between authority and collaboration, confidence and humility.
She believes strong teams thrive on trust, not micromanagement. “Collaboration is integral for operating vessels,” she says. “There have been ships where departments were in competition with each other, and I simply don’t understand that type of culture. At the end of the day, most people are at sea to support themselves and their families. When you remember that, you can almost always find common ground.”
That philosophy has been shaped by both good and difficult experiences onboard. Max has worked under all types of leaders, those who inspired and those who taught her what not to do. As a Chief Officer, she believes in leading with clarity and fairness, while recognizing that every crewmember is motivated differently. “You can’t manage everyone the same way,” she explains. “What works for one person won’t necessarily work for another.”
Safety is a theme that runs through every part of Max’s leadership. “Going to sea is an inherently dangerous job,” she says. “You’re only as good as your weakest team member, and it’s your responsibility as a leader to prepare new people as best you can.” Her perspective on professionalism and teamwork has also evolved over time. In her early years, she worked hard to fit in and prove herself in a male-dominated environment, but experience taught her the importance of boundaries and balance. Now, she focuses on mutual respect and accountability rather than approval.
That integrity was put to the test early in her career when she made a mistake that led to a work-related incident. Max took full responsibility, reporting the issue immediately without excuses. “Your integrity is all you have,” she says. “I’d much rather have someone tell me when they make a mistake and take ownership of it because it needs to be fixed. The way a leader reacts to information really opens up communication or shuts it down.”
At the 2025 Women Offshore Annual Conference, Max shared her insights on personal branding and social media, encouraging mariners to approach online platforms with professionalism and self-awareness. She advised protecting one’s identity, being cautious about what’s shared, and aligning content with company policies. “I never post while I’m working, and I avoid naming my company,” she explained. “Social media can be a great way to educate and inspire others, but it has to be done safely and respectfully.”
Today, as Chief Mate at MBARI, Max’s work looks very different from traditional commercial shipping. Her vessel serves as a floating laboratory, supporting scientists and engineers conducting cutting-edge oceanographic research. Each mission brings new challenges, from deploying remotely operated vehicles and buoys to recovering wave gliders. “It’s constantly changing,” she says. “We’re providing the world with data and information that wouldn’t exist otherwise. That’s what makes it so fulfilling.”
When it comes to leadership, Max reminds aspiring officers that success doesn’t always follow a straight line. “You have to be aware of what you want for yourself, not what the industry pushes you toward,” she says. “Not everyone wants to be a Master or a Pilot, and that’s okay. Once I uncoupled myself from my job title, everything got easier.”
To early-career mariners, her advice is simple: stay curious, ask questions, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. “If I’m not learning, I’m not growing,” she says. “That doesn’t always have to be professional growth; it can be personal too. Just keep learning.”
As a longtime Women Offshore Ambassador, Max’s advocacy has become an extension of her career at sea. “Representation matters,” she says. “If my stories can inspire someone to start sailing or help a mother feel more at ease about her daughter working offshore, that’s worth it. I want women to know that their job title is only one part of who they are. We’re all multifaceted.”
From her days as a cadet to her role as Chief Mate, Max has built a career defined by professionalism, honesty, and courage, a reflection of both where she came from and where she’s helping the industry go next.
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