Mulheres a Bordo discusses career advancement at the first 2026 meeting in Santos

Mulheres a Bordo meeting will bring together representatives from the public and private sectors this Tuesday in Santos (Vanessa Rodrigues/AT Archive)

Women are still a minority in the Brazilian port sector, representing 17.8% of the workforce, according to a survey by the Agência Nacional de Transportes Aquaviários (Antaq) and Wista Brazil. In order to improve this scenario, the 1º Encontro Mulheres a Bordo 2026 will discuss ways to promote the advancement of women into management positions. The event will take place this Tuesday (5), starting at 9 a.m., at the Grupo Tribuna auditorium, with representatives from the public and private sectors.

At 9:40 a.m., the official opening will take place with the lecture “Career building: education and development in a world in constant reconfiguration”, led by Norsul’s Director of People, Management and Fleet, Aline Carvalho. The executive is a reference in implementing a culture of diversity and inclusion in the corporate ecosystem.

At 10:15 a.m., six representatives from terminals and the public sector will participate in the panel “Diversity Policy and Leadership: How to be He for She.” One of the panelists, the acting director of the Agência Nacional de Transportes Aquaviários (Antaq), Cristina Castro, stated that diversity directly impacts company results.

“A diversity policy enables more inclusion, more participation and, consequently, more innovation. In terms of planning, the more people think differently, the richer and more plural it becomes. We tend to solve problems for which we did not yet know the solutions.”

Cristina recalled the ONU Mulheres movement, created in 2014 by the Organização das Nações Unidas, which, according to her, encouraged men to discuss plurality. “Men are in positions of power, and now it is very valuable that they join hands so that everyone can be in this same scenario.”

Another guest, the Director of Operational Planning at Santos Brasil, Evelyn Lima, the first woman to hold this position at the company, argues that beyond the social aspect, diversity is strategic for business. “Diversity is not a purely social agenda, but a business agenda within companies that must be rooted in leadership culture. It is important to emphasize that ‘he for she’ is not about male kindness, but the responsibility of those who understand the importance of the agenda and occupy most positions of power.”

Evelyn intends to present examples. “I want to share some practical examples from my daily work and highlight how important it was when my managers gave me opportunities to speak and to take on the role of making investment decisions within the company”, she emphasized.

Finally, starting at 11:30 a.m., federal deputy Rosana Valle (PL), one of the representatives of the Baixada Santista in the Federal Chamber, will lead the lecture “Protagonism and positioning: creating your voice”, discussing the importance of taking a stand and occupying positions of power.

The project

Created last year by Grupo Tribuna with the goal of valuing and encouraging female participation in Brazilian foreign trade, the Mulheres a Bordo project is even more robust in 2026, with biweekly reports in A Tribuna and its own section on the website.

In addition, two debate meetings will be held: today’s event and another on October 1. There will also be an International Mission to Panama, taking place between August 18 and 21. Known for its canal connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the Central American country is a strategic logistics hub for global maritime trade.

Schedule

9:00 a.m. – Welcome coffee 9:40 a.m. – Official opening. Lecture “Career building: education and development in a world in constant reconfiguration,” with Aline Carvalho, Director of People, Management and Fleet at Norsul 10:15 a.m. – Panel “Diversity Policy and Leadership: How to be He for She?”, with Flávia Takafashi, President of the Mulheres a Bordo Committee and former director of the Agência Nacional de Transportes Aquaviários (Antaq); Cristina Castro, acting director of Antaq; Evelyn Lima, Director of Operational Planning at Santos Brasil; Fabio Siccherino, CEO of DP World Brasil; Flavio da Rocha, director at Eldorado Brasil; and Disney Barroca, executive director at Deme Brasil 11:30 a.m. – Closing “Protagonism and positioning: creating your voice,” with federal deputy Rosana Valle (PL)