Oquerlina Costa takes office as president of the Port of Itaqui

The Port of Itaqui, one of Brazil’s main public terminals, has a new leader. The Board of Directors of the Maranhão Port Administration Company (Emap) has approved the appointment of Oquerlina Costa as president of the state-owned company, following a nomination by the governor of Maranhão, Carlos Brandão.

The inauguration took place on 7 October at Emap’s headquarters in São Luís. Oquerlina becomes the first woman to officially hold the presidency of the Port of Itaqui, marking a historic milestone for the Maranhão terminal.

Career and background

With a career focused on public management and environmental affairs, Oquerlina Costa previously served as Deputy Secretary of Environmental Resources at the State Secretariat for the Environment and Natural Resources (Sema). She also participated in sustainability and logistics projects, which strengthened her expertise in port-related topics.

She succeeds Isa Mary Pinheiro Mendonça, Emap’s Director of Administration and Finance, who had been serving as interim president in recent months.

Women in the port sector

Oquerlina’s appointment comes amid low female representation in Brazil’s port management sector. According to the 2nd Survey on Gender Equity in the Maritime Sector, released in February by Antaq and Wista Brazil, women make up 17.8% of the workforce in ports — an increase of just 0.5 percentage points compared to 2022.

In leadership roles, female representation drops to 15%, and in operational positions, the rate falls further to 10%.

Port performance

The Port of Itaqui is one of the key hubs in Brazil’s Northern Arc, playing a strategic role in exporting grains and minerals to international markets. Located in São Luís, the terminal is part of the largest port complex in Latin America and benefits from its proximity to shipping routes serving North America and Europe.

In August 2025, Itaqui recorded its highest monthly throughput ever, reaching 3.85 million tonnes, a 7% increase compared to the same month in 2024. From January to August, the port handled 24.9 million tonnes, up 8% year-on-year.

Source: Porto do Itaqui

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