Women are still a minority in the port sector, but they work to change the scene

Valéria Provete and Milena Giglioti (Divulgation)

The presence of women in the maritime port work environment is not new, but still faces areas of resistance, one of them is in leadership positions. According to a survey conducted by the National Agency for Waterway Transportation (Antaq) in 2023, women occupy only 17.3% of the total positions in the sector. In executive positions, the rate is even lower: 13%. However, those who have "broken the bubble" can indicate paths to be followed and also help to implement policies that assist the journey of other women.

This is the case of the executive manager of people management and diversity at Santos Brasil, Milena Giglioti. Working in the company for four years, she understands that this type of concern only finds resonance when the company's policy is authentic. "Occupying this position is a source of pride, but also a challenge. I have always maintained that there is no difference, although I perceive it in our daily lives, in the difficulties that are imposed. But here, they gave the space where I could believe that as a purpose. Otherwise, it would be difficult to lead a project of this magnitude, affecting so many lives", she says.

For her, the moment to participate in conversations with women is when them realize how significant it is to have this position and how much leadership becomes a reference for people. "The responsibility increases, but the desire to do things differently, to do them right, grows even more. At no time I had to mask myself or have different behaviors because I am a woman. I have felt extremely respected from the beginning", she points out.

An example of the company's concern can be seen in leadership training: currently 30% of leaders are women. The goal is to reach 35% by 2030. "In addition, this year, 51 affirmative positions (for women) were initially offered, but there were 96 hires", Milena adds.

Inspiration

Valéria Becalli Provete, manager of new business at Portocel, in Espírito Santo, demonstrates that the journey, although long, can be victorious. Working in the port sector for 14 years, specifically in logistics, she still sees the space as "conservative" in many aspects. "At sometimes, I noticed that the leadership was exclusively composed of men. There wasn't much room yet for female involvement", she says.

Over time, the landscape has been changing, in a reality where reversal is necessary. "Women are crucial to bring a bit more diversity in thinking, ways of conducting processes, creating welcoming environments and caring for people. Here at Portocel, we have been working on this from two perspectives: one is female representation in the environment as a whole and the other is a strong action to increase representation in leadership positions, where we can connect a perspective of changing established organizational culture", argues Valéria.

She emphasizes, especially to younger professionals or those entering the market, an inspiration and aspiration: not to allow themselves to be placed in certain pre-established "boxes". "The big challenge is to open up this range of options and understand where we can deliver more results, more reflections and connect more bridges. And the logistics sector requires a natural dynamism, due to the nature of the business itself, with quick solutions and agile thinking, which is another opportunity for women to position themselves", points out the manager.

She, who serves as an inspiration today, once had someone to look up to. "For almost ten years, we had a woman in charge of the terminal's superintendency. She went through operations management, then general management and finally a superintendency, advocating for a perspective of sector development, not only in Espírito Santo, but with national representation. She led associations, breaking a series of paradigms. That was always very inspiring", she summarizes.

Agency to research female presence

Flávia Takafashi, director of the National Agency for Waterway Transportation (Antaq), recalls that the work about women in the sector published last year is the result of insistence and the need for accurate data of female presence in the port environment. According to her, the survey should become biennial, starting in 2025.

"Brazil did not have this specific data on women's participation in the sector. So Antaq, which has the expertise to annually collect data on port movement, used this experience of statistical data and conducted a survey with port and maritime areas to find out how many women were part of this sector", she recalls.

For Flávia, the port environment still predominantly male is an obstacle, but one that women can overcome. "They need to be increasingly in base positions to have the opportunity to ascend to leadership positions. It becomes a natural funnel. What we perceive in the sector as a whole is that women need more opportunities", reasons the director.

Glass ceiling

The only woman present on the Antaq board in over 20 years, she reflects that the position she occupies is not due to this condition, but rather to the opening of frontiers.

"You face this difficulty when you arrive because we are in few spaces. But opportunities arise according to training. We must always be ready and prepared to create these opportunities. It's a challenge, but the sector has welcomed me very well. I already came from this trajectory. But I always say: when I took office in 2021, I affirmed 'women, take your seats at the table!'", Flávia concludes precisely. "The sector has increasingly opened up space for female leadership. Combining professional trajectories with this perspective of giving opportunities, it will favor an increasingly inclusive environment. For the first woman to break the 'glass ceiling', it's harder. But afterward, the goal is for these opportunities to be open", she concludes.