Caribbean Maritime, issue 46 – Women in maritime

Climbing to success

María del Mar Rodríguez

María del Mar Rodríguez is just the kind of executive every company needs, hardworking, dependable, and fiercely loyal. Someone who always gets the job and without making a big deal out of it. At Tropical Shipping, María has shown that even after a tough start in life you can enter at the bottom and climb your way up the corporate ladder. Today, María not only heads up the carrier’s USVI and Dominican Republic operations, but she is also chair of the CSA’s influential Group C.

Q. Where were you born? A. San Juan, Puerto Rico

Q. What did your parents do for a living and what influence did they have on your early life and subsequent business career?

A. My mom was in sales, we lost my dad (who was a fisherman) when I was eight years old, then my brother got murdered a year after, he was just 22. Seeing her working hard in sales for me and my older sister inspired me to be the hard-working person I am.

Q. Where did you go to school?

A. Escuela Superior Catolica de Bayamon (Catholic School) in San Juan

Q. What about college or university? In which subject(s) did you major?

A. Inter American University of Puerto Rico (a private Christian university with its main campus in San Germán)/Business Administration

Q. On leaving university and noting your father’s love of the sea, did you see a career for yourself in the shipping or logistics sectors?

A. Totally random, I wanted to be a doctor. It seems he knew better as my father named me María del Mar (Mary of the Seas).

I began working part time while in college at the age of 17; the job was doing clerical tasks for a freight forwarder. I began learning about bills of lading and shipping; back then I got fascinated with the field. I never stopped asking my co-workers questions and I always wanted to do more to learn.

Q. What was your first job on leaving university?

A. I have been working in shipping since I was 17, and I did everything from answering the phone, filing, getting information for quotes, calling shipping lines for bookings, etc. I then got a job with a Licensed US Customs Broker and that helped me learn even more about international shipping and consolidations and US Customs clearance processes.

Q. What were your reasons for joining Tropical Shipping?

A. Considering I had worked for a freight forwarder and a Customs Broker, when I saw there was an opening position at Tropical Shipping, I thought it was a perfect fit and for me to add to my portfolio experience. Working directly with a shipping line, that also offered an LCL service was very attractive. I took the shot and Tropical Shipping gave me the opportunity.

Q. You have enjoyed a steady and upward career path at Tropical Shipping, to what do you attribute your consistent rise within the organization?

A. First my willingness to work hard. Then the fact that I am always willing to learn and to listen. Tropical Shipping is an organization that believes in its people and provides fair opportunities for development and growth. I had been coached and guided by great leaders in this organizationand that had helped me to mould me in tothe professional I am today.

Q. You have been with Tropical Shipping since 2004, these days that’s a long time working for just one company. Has there been a reason for your long-standing commitment to Tropical Shipping?

A. Tropical Shipping is a company that operates from its foundation a set of corporate values. Those values correlate with me personally, the way I live and the way I have raised my daughter. The commitment has been mutual and proven through the years; we are a family, and we care. After Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico in 2017, that commitment was even more evident, Tropical stood with us through very difficult times, being there for us and encouraging us. We didn’t stop our operation, we were so passionate to assist Puerto Rico and the rest of the islands that were impacted, but we felt protected, our families felt protected and taken care of.

Q. You have been sales representative, sales manager and then to island manager in Puerto Rico for Tropical Shipping. How have you enjoyed these various roles and what have you learned from each position?

A. Long journey, there are countless lessons, and I continue to learn every day. All the roles have had different lessons, but I would say that my biggest lesson has been that as a leader; my success is defined by how my group members grow and develop themselves. Seeing my group learn, grow, accomplish individual and group goals has been my biggest reward.

Q. How do you manage to look after two overseas markets for Tropical Shipping, the USVI and the Dominican Republic, from San Juan?

A. I have to say that I am very fortunate to work with first class port managers on each island, they are local professionals running the ports who understand the needs of the community and have phenomenal relationships with our partners and customers. My role is to support their efforts to provide a superior customer experience, maximize efficiencies and to take care of our people. I enjoy traveling to meet with the group, the customers, our business partners to have discussions about how we can collectively make the territory better and more resilient.

Q. Given that TOTE Maritime and Tropical Shipping both share the same parent in Saltchuk, is there any inter-action between the two firms or do both operate totally independently from one another – especially as one is domestic (US) and the other international?

A. Both organizations operate completely independently. However, as part of the Saltchuk portfolio of companies we have a great collaborative relationship and communication.

Q. Since late 2020 you have been the CSA’s Group C (for shipowners) chair. What do you hope to achieve during your time in this important role within the Association?

A. Although I took over the position during Covid-19, and that had created some limitations, my goal is for the ship owners to feel represented and their concerns to be addressed, also to promote collaboration among the group on identifying improvement opportunities to better serve the region.

Q. Are you a member of WiMAC or another other maritime-related association?

A. I am part of the Puerto Rico Shipping Association and a member of WISTA (Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association)

Q. Outside of Tropical Shipping, what are your main interests and hobbies?

A. I love to travel and explore new places, trying new food and going to the beach. I spend a lot of time with my daughter when she comes to the house over the weekend (when she can). She goes to college in the west of Puerto Rico at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus (UPRM), she is on her second year of animal science.