Portonave is internationally recognized for gender equity initiatives

During Women’s Month, Portonave, the country’s first private container port terminal, received the LIFE Seal, awarded to companies that develop practices in favor of gender equity in the sector, at the 4th edition of the Female Leadership Program for the Maritime-Port Sector (in Spanish, Liderazgo Feminino – LIFE), held in Panama. From March 17 to 20, the event brought together women from 16 countries across the Americas and Europe, with the goal of fostering opportunities for personal growth, networking, and business development for professionals in the industry.

On the occasion, the #EllasInspiran webinar was also held, aiming to share inspiring stories and reflections from women who stand out for their professional trajectories. With the theme “resilience and adaptability,” the event featured the participation of Angelina Cavalli, Portonave’s Engineering Manager, alongside Iliana Fernandez, President of INER Consultores S.A. (Venezuela); Iliana Gonzalez, Executive Director of ASOTEP (Ecuador); and Javiera Ruiz-Tagle González, Head of Commercial at SAAM Towage (Mexico). Watch the webinar at the link.

In the Brazilian port context, female representation reaches 17%. Although this figure is still low, the scenario is gradually changing. At the port terminal, women account for 20% of the workforce, out of a total of 1,300 professionals. To increase this proportion, the company carries out active recruitment of women and develops initiatives and benefits aimed at their retention. As a result of these efforts, female participation expanded across different areas in 2025.

Active recruitment occurs mainly in operations and maintenanc – areas historically dominated by men – which are already seeing greater female participation. Compared to 2024, there was a 13% increase in the maintenance, civil maintenance, and engineering sectors, as well as a 10% increase in operations.

A snapshot of the last five years shows that the company went from just four female managers to 16. In the past year alone, compared to 2024, the number of female managers increased by 50%. Female presence in strategic positions is essential to consolidating this progress. At Portonave, female leaders have access to international training opportunities, including the LIFE program itself and APEC training, offered by the Port Authority of Antwerp, Belgium.

To sustain these advances and promote a more inclusive sector, several actions are carried out through the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) program:

About the LIFE
LIFE is a program aimed at Latin American women holding middle-management and managerial positions in companies and institutions within the maritime-port industry. Its goal is to provide a space for learning and the development of leadership skills and competencies through the application of tools related to negotiation, teamwork, conflict management, decision-making, and strengthening self-confidence for effective presentations. In addition to being a space for personal development and reflection, LIFE seeks to promote the creation of a networking network and business opportunities among executives from different countries, companies, and institutions that make up the logistics chain.

About Portonave
The company is located in Navegantes, on the north coast of the state of Santa Catarina, and began operations in 2007 as Brazil’s first private port terminal. In the national ranking, in 2025, Portonave placed fourth in the handling of full long-haul containers in the country, with a 9% market share, according to Datamar. It currently generates 1,300 direct jobs and 5,500 indirect jobs. The company is ranked as the 8th best large company to work for in Santa Catarina, according to the Great Place to Work (GPTW) 2025 ranking.