Global Minds Local Hearts

Maersk introduced the new career framework “MyCareer” in 2015.

A system that creates clarity and transparency, it enables employees to make conscious career choices.

Adriana Aguila at Lázaro Cárdenas port on Mexico’s Pacific Coast.

After 11 years, Adriana Aguilar is back where she started.

Aguilar grew up in Lázaro Cárdenas on Mexico’s Pacific Coast. When the port was transforming from industrial only to commercial, she joined Maersk Line as it was starting up operations. Following stints in New York, Poland and Panama, she is now Customer Service Manager for a terminal that, when it opens in 2016, will be the most technologically advanced in Latin America.

“It was such an amazing moment, not just for me but for the whole city,” she says of the day in late 2015, when the first 120-metre tall ship-to-shore cranes arrived by sea at APM Terminals’ semi-automated container terminal.

“It was so visible, and we all knew that it meant development, opening a bigger gateway for trade that will benefit the city and the country. Being part of such a global event in my own home town made it one of the most important days of my life,” Aguilar says, her gestures and smiles become more noticeable as she dives into the story, looking back.

Starting small
Aguilar’s story is not unique and neither is the Group’s USD 900 million investment in the container terminal at Lázaro Cárdenas. The Group is currently making substantial bets in promising markets around the world, and people of the same nationality are taking leading roles.

The terminal’s capacity of 1.2 million 20-foot containers annually will roughly double the total of what today is Mexico’s second-largest port. From here, containers can reach Mexico City in less than two days by rail, Monterrey’s automotive production hub in less than three, and there are good links to major US cities, as well.

" The Group has given me so many opportunities, and I feel a responsibility to give something back to my city. "

When Aguilar joined the Group, the port only handled 1,600 20-foot containers a year, making her first experience outside Mexico an eye-opener. In New York, for training, she found herself right in the centre of one of the world’s most vibrant cities, including one of the busiest container terminals.

“I saw how important a port is, both as a gateway for trade and for the development of a country. It was a tremendous learning experience. I imagined that maybe one day my own city would be just as important to my country, and that is what is happening right now,” Aguilar says.

Giving back
The terminal is well positioned to support growing trade on the Pacific with its state-of-the-art hardware and in Aguilar’s opinion, the right people are at the centre of it all.

“Whatever we do, receiving a vessel or putting a container onto a train, we need to be focused on the customers, helping them grow their business. Lázaro Cárdenas is not just a port. It is a source of jobs. We aim to bring in the most talented people from the community, making customer service a differentiating factor,” she says.

“The Group has given me so many opportunities, and I feel a responsibility to give something back to my city. It’s not just about professional skills; it is also about serving the community, serving our customers and serving our country.”