The safety briefing over coffee is our daily ritual.
Every morning, when the clock strikes 6:45, Luis Peime is already up. If the 55-year-old is scheduled for the first shift, he only needs a few minutes to get ready before heading to Iquique Terminal Internacional, one of the ports that our subsidiary Hanseatic Global Terminals operates in Chile. He lives nearby, so the commute is short: about 10 minutes by car, though he occasionally prefers to take his bike. That daily journey, with the fresh morning air still lingering, is part of his routine – and part of his story.
Upon arrival, there is a moment he especially values: breakfast at the terminal with his colleagues. It is a simple yet meaningful ritual. Over coffee, they review the safety briefing and share stories. For Luis, this sense of camaraderie is one of the best parts about working in the port. “We’ve known each other for years,” he says. “There’s a lot of trust and mutual support here.”
Follow Luis Peime from his doorstep to his seat on top of the crane:
Luis’ workday unfolds in an environment that has evolved alongside new technologies. “When I started at the terminal, almost everything was bulk cargo,” he explains. “But the port is far more automated now. Technology has reduced risks and professionalized operations. The old image of the poorly educated dockworker no longer exists. Now we have operators with technical and university degrees as well as young people who combine shifts with professional training.”
In addition to being his workplace, the port is also part of Luis’ family heritage. His father was a dockworker and introduced him to the profession. From a young age, Luis learned that this job is more than a source of income; it’s a way of life. In his case – as in that of many others – port work is passed down from one generation to the next. That continuity gives special meaning to each shift: It is a tradition that evolves, yet preserves a deep sense of pride.
In 2024, Luis and his colleagues moved more than 2.5 million tons
Source: Hanseatic Global Terminals Latin America
The port is my community.
Outside the terminal, Luis is a family man who organizes his personal life around his shifts. This dynamic has allowed him to be present as his children grew up and to share important moments with them. At home, he is also welcomed by “Princesa,” his cat, a key member of the household. On his days off, he enjoys relaxing with his family and the contrast with the intense pace of the port.
After decades of work, Luis looks to the future with the same calm determination with which he begins each shift. He plans to remain connected to the port and hopes to take on a new role: becoming an instructor and contributing to the training of new operators using simulators and advanced equipment. “To teach something, it’s not enough to know how to do it yourself,” he says. “You also have to set an example and pass on values and experience. That’s how I see the next few years: continuing to contribute and guiding those who are just starting out.”
For Luis, the port is more than infrastructure and technology. It’s his community, its history and its future. It is where his day begins – and where, with every shift, he reaffirms a vocation tied to the sea that spans generations.
Photos by: Hapag-Lloyd AG, Andrea Pérez Zárate, Hanseatic Global Terminals
Text by: Jorge Vejar, Ximena Díaz
Videos by: Burning Heart Productions
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