By David Huck, Port Director
Several years ago Peel Ports undertook the task of developing an innovative management training course for our employees. Our aim was simple. We wanted to develop a global standard training course which would offer a holistic understanding of manging container terminal operations.
In 2011, the Managing Container Terminal Performance Course was born. It is a five day long course, which offers a comprehensive look at managing quayside operations, automated technologies and customer service. It examines the processes and demands that are essential to ensure a port terminal operates safely, efficiently and profitably.
Under the expert guidance of Dr Jeff Martin of J & S Maritime and Chung-Ang University, 62 candidates completed the course between 2011 and 2016.
This autumn will see the launch of the first phase of our new £400million deep water container terminal. Its arrival has heralded a whole range of associated investments in infrastructure, operations and technology.
As a business, this makes investing in the training and skills of the people who form the backbone of these developments more important than ever before. So we invited 12 new members of frontline staff and managers from across the Group, to complete the Manging Container Terminal Performance course last month.
Each candidate already had a wide range of experience working in the port industry, but we wanted to provide them with greater understanding of the role container terminals perform within our business and of the inter-dependencies that exist between the numerous operations that are undertaken within a terminal.
By having a greater understanding of why our ports and terminals must maintain excellent operational efficiencies in order to meet customer demands and the benefits that arise from improved performance, it will help them plan organise and manage operations more effectively.
The course gave them an opportunity to develop the planning, leadership and change management skills which will they will need to help improve terminal performance and make operations more cost effective. It also looked at the issues which are driving change in the global container shipping industry today, and how these changes are impacting the actions of customers and stakeholders.
I am delighted to say that all 12 candidates have graduated from this year’s course with flying colours and their feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.
The Managing Container Terminal Performance course underlines Peel Ports’ commitment to investment – not just in infrastructure, but in the training and development of its employees too.
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