Women strengthen Jacksonville’s port community: Recognizing roles advancing maritime operations during Women’s History Month
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By Marcia Pledger
From the docks and cargo gates to warehouses and the boardroom, women are making increasingly vital contributions to the maritime industry. As Women’s History Month highlights progress across various sectors, maritime stands out as a notable example of women expanding their influence and shaping the future of global trade.
Globally, women make up roughly 15 to 20 percent of the shore-based maritime workforce. In the United States, representation varies by port but continues to grow as more women enter the field and advance into management and operational roles.
In Jacksonville, women are part of a highly skilled workforce – whether working for private terminal operators, freight forwarders, or trucking firms – supported by several labor unions. In these organizations, women contribute across every major function on the waterfront, from equipment operators and clerks to logistics coordinators and leadership.
International Longshoremen’s Association: Contributing to the industry’s growth
At JAXPORT, the movement of cargo is powered in part by the skilled workforce of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA). Locally, ILA Local 1408 and Local 1593 generate about 1,000,000 labor hours each year across a wide range of port operations. While Local 1408 focuses on hands-on longshore work such as loading and unloading cargo and operating heavy equipment, Local 1593 provides the coordination and documentation that keep cargo moving efficiently, from vessel planning and cargo tracking to labor management and gate processing.
Women are contributing across both locals, supporting critical functions on the waterfront and helping ensure cargo flows smoothly through the port each day.
That impact was on display this month when approximately 500 women from South Atlantic and Gulf Coast ports gathered in downtown Jacksonville for the ILA Women’s Maritime Conference. The annual event provided an opportunity to connect, share experiences, and explore ways to strengthen the industry’s future.
Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan highlighted the importance of women in the local workforce, and JAXPORT Chief Administrative Officer Linda Williams spoke about their growing contributions to the port’s success.
“Throughout my 30-plus years at JAXPORT, I’ve seen our industry evolve, and one of the most important changes has been the growing presence and influence of women across every level of our operations,” Williams said. “Your leadership strengthens our workforce and our industry.”
Events like this conference support professional growth, strengthen workplace culture, and help ensure the industry continues to evolve to meet the needs of a diverse workforce.
For many, a career on the waterfront offers opportunities to build skills, grow professionally, and contribute to an industry that keeps global trade moving.
Daisy Tolbert is one of those women. She began her career in transportation and logistics in 2003 and has steadily advanced through a variety of roles to become a dock foreman with ILA Local 1408. Starting out driving vehicles onto vessels and securing them for transport, she built a foundation of hands-on experience that led her to expand her skills across a wide range of equipment and operations.
“My motto is the more you know the more you go,” she said, noting that she even learned to be a ship crane operator. “My goal was to learn how to operate everything out there. I’ve operated all kinds of machines.”
Mary Branton followed a different path into the industry, beginning her career at JAXPORT in 2017. A member of ILA Local 1408, she now focuses on moving vehicles through the port’s terminals, drawing on a diverse background that includes cruise operations and warehouse work. Today, she plays a key role in transporting automobiles from storage areas to vessels for loading and unloading.
Branton values the flexibility and stability the industry provides, along with the opportunity to stay active in a hands-on role.
“I just turned 60, so I started in this industry late in life several years ago,” Branton said. “I really love my job.”
For Carmella Holmes-Weaver, the maritime industry is also a family legacy. A member of ILA Local 1593, she represents the fourth generation of her family to work at the port, with relatives now part of a fifth generation continuing that tradition.
Holmes-Weaver has spent 31 years at JAXPORT, beginning part-time at age 17 and continuing through college. Today, she helps manage the clerical side of operations, overseeing timekeeping, payroll, and inspections to support the safe and efficient movement of cargo.
“My dad was the first African American checker, and I became the first African American female checker,” she said, reflecting on her family’s legacy. Checkers track, inspect, and document cargo and ships to manage inventory and safety.
With a background in communications, Holmes-Weaver initially considered a different career path before recognizing the opportunities available in maritime. She credits mentorship and adaptability as key to her success and emphasizes the strengths women bring to the industry.
“I give props to men who showed me how to do my job, and I’ve been able to grow and glean from others,” she said. “As a woman, you have to be able to fit in and adapt to different personalities. But women are multi-taskers who balance responsibilities, leadership, and resilience while keeping the port strong.”
Together, these experiences reflect a broader trend across Jacksonville’s port community, where women are expanding their roles, developing new skills, and contributing to the continued growth and strength of the maritime industry.
Terminal Operations Leads to Rewarding Career Opportunities
As a landlord port, JAXPORT handles 1.38 million containers and more than 506,000 vehicles each year. Port terminals are operated by private companies that employ teams responsible for keeping cargo moving efficiently through the supply chain.
Across these operations, women contribute in a range of roles, from managing vessel activity and coordinating logistics to supporting customers and overseeing day-to-day terminal functions.
As Terminal Manager for JAXPORT terminal operator Enstructure, Kelly Castelo oversees a facility that primarily handles breakbulk cargo, managing vessel calls, coordinating with customers, and ensuring warehouse and outbound shipments stay on schedule.
“We handle a wide range of cargo at JAXPORT, from breakbulk and bulk to containerized goods like lumber, steel, and paper,” Castelo said. “A lot of what we move every day are items people rely on but don’t always realize come through our terminals.”
Castelo has spent 19 years in the maritime industry, starting in 2007 as a shipping and receiving clerk. What began as a search for a long-term career quickly grew into an interest in logistics and how goods move from origin to destination. She advanced through roles as a logistics coordinator and supervisor before becoming a terminal manager.
“I’m very hands on at the terminal, spending about 90 percent of my time on the docks with operations and employees,” Castelo said. “The people out here are dedicated and hardworking, and that makes it a great place to work.”
Over time, Castelo has seen more women enter and advance in the industry. She now leads a team that includes more than a dozen women who have grown in their roles. “It’s pretty impressive,” she said. “They come in as clerks, and now they’re operating forklifts and are out on the docks.”
Castelo is drawn to the fast pace and problem-solving that the job requires.
“In all my years, not one day has been the same, and that’s part of what makes the job so enjoyable,” she said.
Vivian Patterson shares that same sentiment, shaped by more than four decades in the industry. As Terminal Office Manager for JAXPORT terminal operator SSA Marine, she supports daily operations through customer service, billing, and coordination with the trucking community.
A Jacksonville native, Patterson’s connection to the port began early. Her grandfather owned Union Terminal Warehouse near downtown and a trucking company that once operated near what is now JAXPORT’s Access Control building. “That’s where I got my roots from,” she said.
She began her career in 1982 on the trucking side and later worked across freight forwarding, vessel operations, yard and gate operations, and dispatch roles. She joined SSA Marine in 2015 and has been part of the company’s growth alongside JAXPORT’s continued expansion.
“Watching this facility, the market, and the community grow has been phenomenal. So many positive changes and it’s all derived from the expansion of Jacksonville’s port,” she said.
Throughout her career, Patterson has seen more women build long-term careers across a wide range of roles.
“There are endless opportunities in this industry,” Patterson said. “The SSA team is collaborative, supportive, and passionate about what they do. Being able to share that experience and pass knowledge on to the next generation is like passing along a legacy.”
Built on strength, skill, and partnership
JAXPORT is one of the most diversified ports in the U.S., handling containers, automobiles, breakbulk cargo and many others. As Florida’s population grows, demand across all cargo types is expected to increase, creating more jobs and opportunities to support families and businesses statewide.
