Port Security Seminar Gathers Cotraporchi and Ultraport Mejillones

With the purpose of strengthening the preventive culture, the Confederation of Port Workers of Chile (Cotraporchi), in conjunction with Ultraport Mejillones, held the seminar "Work, Well-being and Safety in 21st Century Ports," an event that brought together port workers, union leaders, and representatives of companies and institutions linked to the sector.

The event aimed to create a space for learning and reflection on the main challenges currently facing the port industry, addressing issues related to safety, mental health, self-care, and emergency preparedness.

In this regard, Matías Ormazábal, Manager of Mechanized Ports at Ultraport, commented that "we deeply value the meeting spaces and seminars promoted by Cotraporchi. These are key instances to raise awareness about the importance of safety and prevention, as caring for our port workers is fundamental for an efficient and responsible operation. Because their well-being is the basis of good performance and a safer port for everyone."

For his part, the president of Cotraporchi, Sergio Baeza, highlighted that "as a confederation, we believe that safety must be a permanent commitment of all of us who are part of port activity. This seminar allowed us to bring together workers, companies, authorities, and specialists to share knowledge and experiences that strengthen prevention and self-care."

"I want to thank Ultraport Mejillones for the joint work in organizing this activity and, especially, each of the speakers, who contributed with their experience to continue advancing towards safer ports better prepared to face the challenges of today and the future," he added.

The day began with a presentation by Matías Ormazábal, who gave the talk "Speaking Up for Safety," highlighting the importance of strengthening a preventive culture where each worker assumes an active role in identifying risks and building safer work environments.

Meanwhile, the consultant in Mental Health and Critical Maritime-Port Operations, Eduardo Ruiz, presented on "Port Operations, Mental Health, and Self-Care," emphasizing the importance of emotional well-being and self-care tools for those working in highly demanding roles.

For his part, Pablo González, Manager of Psychosocial Factors at the Institute of Occupational Safety (IST), presented "Caring for Ourselves at Work: A, B, C of Mental Health and Suicide Risk Prevention," providing recommendations to recognize risk factors and promote healthier work environments.

In turn, the Superintendent of the Mejillones Fire Department, Carlos Ruiz, spoke about "Prevention, Preparation, and Response to Natural and Environmental Emergencies," while the Port Captain of Mejillones, Christian Paredes, gave a talk titled "Tsunamis in Chile: Monitoring and Prediction," addressing the existing surveillance, monitoring, and response systems in the country.