Paola is a natural problem-solver with a knack for customer service. She has a deep understanding of International Transport, Customs Brokerage, and is educated in Trade Law. We often (accurately) brag that we have one of the best Operations Managers in the industry. When you need someone to navigate multi-jurisdictional and multi-party disputes, Paola is the Sealion team member you want in your corner.

Before joining Sealion, Paola’s accomplishments were already lofty. She started in meat and produce trading before moving to the glitzy world of beer, wine, and spirit logistics. She now takes a hands-on approach leading our team of Logistics Specialists. When she’s enjoying time away from the office you’ll find her in yoga class, dancing salsa and cranking the latest Latin beats.

Additional Expertise

• Air Freight

Paola is the resource we all count on to ensure that air freight compliance procedures are followed day in and day out. Extremely hands on, you’ll find her constantly checking Flight Status’ to initiate Import Clearance Procedures as soon as cargo is airborne.

Customs Brokerage
Paola is a Certified Customs Specialist (CCS) and takes lead on coordinating Customs Brokerage, Duty Drawbacks, ATA Carnet Certificates, and Remanifests. She also guides our team’s preparation of Export Documentation, Certificates of Origin (COO), and Export Declarations.

With 3 languages, Winnie personifies Sealion’s diversity.  One of our IMO Dangerous Goods certified professionals, she’s meticulous with any and all cargo.  Winnie has spent over 16 years in the Shipping industry and has become a pro at creating innovative solutions for Sealion’s customers. 

Her cool, calm and collected attitude means you’re getting one of the shipping industry’s top professionals – all with Sealion’s personal touch.  If you ever get the chance, stop by our office on Halloween to see why she continues winning Best Costume in our office.

Additional Expertise

• Ocean Freight

Winnie is an IMO DG certified Ocean Freight expert with over 15 years experience on both sides of the Pacific.  An exceptional manager, she understands the importance of monitoring each shipment’s progress.  From loading, through trans-shipment, to container devanning, you can trust her to keep you informed at critical moments to ensure a smooth operation.

Sometimes the pinch-hitter becomes your star – that’s our Yan.  Brought on board to help out during a leave of absence, she became a critical Sealion Operations Team member within days.  Four years later she’s still blowing the socks off everyone.

Her direct, efficient style ensures each project she works on is meticulously planned.  When you work with her on an International Cargo shipment, you can trust the project will be completed with swift precision and care.  Her intense work ethic is matched only by her ability to conquer the fiercest of hot sauces – we dare you to keep up.

Additional Expertise

• Air Freight

An IATA DG Certified professional, Yan makes Air Freight happen.  She’s an expert tactician that can get premium Okanagan Cherries to 5-star restaurants in China or metric tons of garments from Myanmar to Canadian Retailers.  With over 10 years experience preparing air freight for carriage, you can rely on her for expedited solutions.

Lorena is our multi-tool.  She has excelled in various capacities at Sealion Cargo and is a leading mind behind our embrace of technology.  Most recently she has helped many of our clients in her role as an International Freight Specialist.

Lorena’s proactive nature means issues are solved well before they become a problem – a core element of Sealion’s Freight Forwarding service.  The pace of her work and intense attention to detail is only surpassed by the speed of her speech.  All we can say is that if you want to keep up, bring your A game. She does every day!

Additional Expertise

• Air Freight 

Lorena coordinates both regular and dangerous goods airfreight to get cargo to its destination on time.  She is experienced at managing bookings with co-loaders, charter flights and commercial airlines.  Working directly with SME Freight Coordinators and Canadian Entrepreneurs, Lorena is your pro at ensuring compliance and safe carriage. 

• Refrigerated Cargo

It’s not everyday that somebody starts their Logistics Career with Refrigerated Cargo but there’s no stopping Lorena’s cool ambition.  She cut her teeth quickly and two years later she’s a key member of our Air and Ocean cold-chain team.  As a Freight Specialist she understands the importance of quickly clearing customs, CFIA inspections, and ultimately getting your produce to market in peak condition.

Darrel is a Specialist in Ocean Freight and Large Volume accounts. When you need an expert in South Asia or the Middle East, Darrel is your pro.  Having spent years working in this dynamic region he confidently guides clients shipments through this global hub.

At Sealion, Darrel is known for his patience, empathy, and meticulous attention to detail in each transaction. His sense of humor and love of music goes a long way in making him an easily approachable and supportive team member.  With years of experience and a positive attitude, you’ll find him to be your perfect shipping partner.

• Ocean 

Darrel is our Operations Specialist for large volume Ocean Exports.  He typically oversees bookings with dozens of containers each for customers that require 1000’s of TEU in a year.  Coordinating Bookings, Container Pick-up, Scaling, Documentation and Export Filings, Darrel has turned managing this process into an art-form.

Winner of the “Making the Impossible, Possible” award, Jose is a natural leader and your logistics champion at Sealion.  An innate solution creator, he excels at executing last-minute shipping projects.  His vast experience in Freight Forwarding, specifically in Large Volume Commodities, becomes your competitive advantage.

Do you need to:

• Secure capacity?
• Create new trade routes?
• Negotiate better shipping rates?

Jose will roll up his sleeves and help the Sealion team grow your business.  Anything logistics, he’s your guy.

Additional Expertise

• Ocean Freight

Jose knows container shipping inside and and out.  Having spent years as an Account Manager for one of the worlds largest carriers he knows all the challenges -and the hidden opportunities.  Supported by our Commercial Analysts and Freight Specialists, Jose speaks tons, metric tons, and TEU’s of international trade.

• Refrigerated Cargo

Jose started his refrigeration journey at one of the largest ocean carriers where he moved 1000’s of TEU on dozens of Trade Lanes.  Today, he accesses an arsenal of carriers and hundreds of Trade Lanes – opening new opportunities to move your refrigerated cargo faster and on the most dependable routings.

• Distribution and Warehousing

Jose understands how widely Distribution and Warehousing challenges can vary.  That’s why Jose works closely with our customers and warehousing partners to choose the right facility for your supply chain.

After running a fast-paced transportation company in South America, Alexandre moved to Canada and joined the Sealion team.

Today he leads Sealion’s Commercial Department where his entrepreneurial skills find efficient solutions to keep your freight moving. This allows him to personalize customer service while continuing to negotiate competitive freight rates, saving your company time and money. Alexandre’s sharp analytic skills are equally matched by his brilliant sense of humor and karaoke talent – something he never lets us forget.

Additional Expertise

• Project Cargo

From Flatracks to BreakBulk, Alexandre is an expert at planning Project Cargo moves from permitting through to execution. At Sealion he has executed dozens of projects with cargo values into the millions of dollars. Whether moving by Air, Ocean, Rail, or all 3, his philosophy for Project Cargo remains “the simpler, the better”.

• Customs

Alexandre aids our diverse customer base in Rating, ATA Carnet certificates and Export Permits. He excels at forecasting CBSA import duties and especially enjoys handing duty drawbacks cheques to Sealion customers. Supported by our global partners, he takes lead on Sealion’s international clearance activities in over 150 countries around the globe.

• Warehousing

Sealion offers a robust network of 3rd party warehousing across Canada, including bonded facilities. Alexandre has negotiated specific contracts for retail, direct-to-consumer, and commodity warehousing with our partners. It’s more work overseeing several specialized warehouses, but the end result is your freight being at the right place at the right time.

A longtime friend of Mr. Sealion, Jose Maldonado, Silvana was an easy hire. Her charming and firm attitude means you'll love chatting with her - and she'll negotiate great rates. Her background in Architecture has given her a great understanding of the technical details involved in Freight Forwarding.

While we love hearing stories of her past in Uruguay, we're happy to have this Formula 1 fan in Canada - although you may be surprised to learn she's always dreamed of driving a Monster Truck. Reach out to Silvana for the personal Sealion touch on your next shipment.

April has been in the Logistics industry since 2018.

April actually majored in Statistics & Math in University but a friend of hers introduced her to the world of Logistics and the rest is history.

Julius is a dedicated freight forwarding and customs specialist with 13 years under his belt. His seasoned expertise includes managing international shipments, ocean air and customs clearance.  

It's not enough that Julius is an expert in all of these things, but he takes pride in educating his clients to ensure that all of their freight forwarding needs are met.

When Julius isn't being a freight forwarding mastermind, he enjoys exploring new bike travels.