I found out about Maritime High School during its ideation phase and it was exciting to see it come to fruition. I was approached by MHS administration about becoming a mentor to the founding class of freshman who were moving into their sophomore year. Being a Latin woman in maritime is rare, so I chose to become a mentor so students could see there was someone like them in the industry. Additionally, I wanted to impart all the various ways someone can work in the maritime space, it’s more than boats.

Centerline Logistics held a field trip at our headquarters office on Harbor Island to provide MHS students with a first-hand look into the world of marine transportation and logistics. The students were able to tour a tug boat accompanied by our mariners, from the wheelhouse to the engine room. Additionally, the students were able to ask various questions about the roles and life on the water. After the tug tours, students were given a case study around voyage planning. They needed to plan where they were going to refuel, get more provisions, chose crew watches, etc. while looking at weather patterns and navigational charts.

I would highly encourage other maritime professionals to become involved and become mentors because this is our next generation to move the industry forward. Someone helped each of us along the way, now it’s our turn to step up.

Kimberly Cartagena, Senior Manager, Marketing & Public Relations at Centerline Logistics