Six freight operatives from Pembroke Port and Ferry Terminal, which is owned and managed by Milford Haven Port, were presented with their certificates on 14 October 2011.

The NVQ Level 2 Port Operations programme was delivered by Pembrokeshire College in collaboration with Milford Haven Port and awarded by EMTA Awards Limited.  Nine modules were studied in total including; berthing of vessels; working safely near water; maintaining environmental good practice within ports; health and safety and working on the ferry’s decks loading and unloading freight vehicles.

Port Manager Mike Ashworth worked alongside the college and his team throughout the process and has now become an NVQ Assessor. Commenting on the experience he said “Our freight operatives have demonstrated a highly proficient approach and depth of knowledge. The standard of work produced by each of them has been outstanding.” 

Malcolm York, MITEC Centre Manager added “We have been really impressed with the success of this new NVQ programme and look forward to continuing to work alongside Milford Haven Port Authority.”

Port Operator John Kenniford, who undertook the training, said “I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and I’m really pleased that I now have a certificate that demonstrates my ability.”

This programme will now continue to give other Operatives the opportunity to gain the same qualification.

Photo caption: MHPA Freight Operatives with their certificates along with Malcolm York (MITEC Centre Manager), Mike Ashworth (Port Manager, MHPA), Christopher Lewis (NQV Assessor) and Paul Williams (EAL Centre Co-ordinator) and Paddy Walsh (MHPA Board Member and General Manager of Irish Ferries)

In 2011 the largest of these orders have been for automated operations in Khalifa in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (34 all-electrics) and Terminal Catalunya in Spain (40 all-electrics). Most recently, Bromma has won orders for a total of 12 all-electrics for service in semi-automated operations in Brisbane and Sydney, Australia.

In addition to the above, Bromma all-electrics are also in service today in automated terminals in Virginia in the United States; in Hamburg, Germany; in Algeciras, Spain; in three automated terminals in Korea; and in Ningbo, China. Bromma anticipates further automated spreader orders later in 2011. What these operations tend to have in common is that they are high-throughput operations. As such, the move to automation in container handling represents one of the most significant new trends in the industry.

“An automated terminal is the last place you want to experiment with an unproven spreader,” notes Vikram Raman, Bromma’s Commercial Director. “A spreader breakdown is the last thing you want in an automated operation and this is an important reason why Bromma is doing so well with these projects. Big companies want reliable partners. Over the past decade Bromma has sold nearly 2,000 all-electric crane spreaders, so no one can match Bromma in experience or proven all-electric reliability. Bromma has the advantage of a decade of experience and improvement. Plus, we understand the operational issues in the ASC environment, since we have worked in so many of these projects.”

“Both of these contracts are for vessels that will carry general and project cargo, as well as various type of RoRo cargo, and this calls for specialist knowledge,” says Magnus Sjöberg, Sales Director for RoRo Ships at Cargotec. “Because of our in-depth understanding of RoRo access and cargo handling systems, we are able to deliver the most flexible and efficient designs possible.” One of the contracts is for a two-shipset repeat order, which builds on a four-ship equipment agreement that Cargotec won in June this year from Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in South Korea. Cargotec will now deliver MacGregor RoRo equipment to six deepsea ConRo vessels being built for a Saudi Arabian owner in 2012 and 2013.

As at 30 September, throughput figures were up by more than 9% on the same period of last year.  Zeeland Seaports expects its throughput figures to be higher at the end of the year than in 2010, but remains cautious when it comes to issuing definitive prognoses, considering the current economic situation. It can be said, however, that the increasing tonnages are making an important contribution towards the aim of handling 50 million tonnes in 2020. In the coming years, containerisation will play an increasingly large role in the growth of maritime transhipment, thanks to the construction of the Westerschelde Container Terminal, among other things.