Extreme prices, weather events, tightening regulations, labour shortages\u2014the challenges that today\u2019s ports encounter are ever-increasing. To say that the last few years have been marked by instability would be something of an understatement. And yet that instability, by all accounts, is very much here to stay. There will be future natural disasters and accidents. There will be new regulations and security risks. To remain competitive, ports must focus on strategies that make them resilient and competitive in the face of instability.<\/p>\n
For many, that means taking a closer look at workforce development. After all, an operator who can improve their cycle time from 19 to 24 moves per hour can complete more than 100 additional moves per week. That calculation, multiplied over the span of a year, a career, or an entire workforce, equals significant increases in berth and terminal productivity, cost savings, and decarbonisation. In addition, the concentrated practice that led to operational improvements also contributes to incident reduction\u2014potentially saving lives.<\/p>\n
But while everyone is talking about the importance of workforce development, it\u2019s worth considering if they\u2019re thinking about it in the right way and investigating the right approach. As Maksim Mihic, Global Executive Vice President, Operations & Engineering at DP World recently concluded at the Terminal Operations Conference (TOC), the ability to learn and unlearn is crucial in today\u2019s ever-changing environment. It\u2019s not just about improving cycle times, but about having the ability to quickly train your workforce for whatever new priorities or challenges they may encounter.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s worth asking the question: What is the best approach to workforce development? Because the answer points to a solution that can have profound consequences for ports worldwide. Currently, there are billions in lost savings and potential being wasted all over the planet.<\/p>\n
THE APPROACH What is the solution that addresses all these challenges at once? Let\u2019s start by looking at the first step: simulation.<\/p>\n THE FIRST STEP At ZHD Stevedores, for example, simulation-based training significantly reduced cycle times at the independent, family-run company operating at several port terminals in the Netherlands. Simulation allowed operators to practice moves over and over again in a short timeframe and objectively examine their progress, strengths, and weaknesses. As a result, those operators were able to improve dramatically. The team went from taking 40\u201360 minutes to move 550 tonnes of bulk material to reducing that time to 20\u201330 minutes\u2014effectively halving cycle times.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, at the Port of Halifax, Canada, simulation allowed its training partner, the Halifax Employers Association (HEA), to standardise training times. According to Robert Bonnar, HEA Training Advisor: \u201cWhen we didn\u2019t have a simulator, we had to schedule the start of training on days when the vessel was not in the port. So, we were at the mercy of the shipping schedules.\u201d Bonnar noted that a 14-day training course could sometimes take a month to complete \u201cjust because we had to wait for a vessel to become available.\u201d He notes that with the help of simulation training tools, \u201cToday, a 14-day training course actually takes closer to 14 consecutive days.\u201d<\/p>\n These quantitative benefits are supplemented by qualitative ones as well. At the Port of Tilbury (London), for example, simulation has helped boost recruitment. \u201cThe military are fascinated by what we were doing with simulation,\u201d said Simon Harper, Learning & Development Manager and Director at Tilbury on Thames Trust, \u201cIt attracts veterans to our programmes, and it\u2019s a remarkably effective tool for recruitment.\u201d<\/p>\n Using simulation for training helps improve productivity, reduce fuel consumption, boost recruitment, standardise training times, and enhance safety. But while simulation training poses a distinct step beyond traditional training approaches, there\u2019s another technological leap taking place that will bring training initiatives even further. This brings us to the next step: utilizing an Intelligent Training System.<\/p>\n
<\/strong>Organisations currently training operators using a combination of theory and practice on real equipment know all too well that it\u2019s a notoriously difficult, dangerous, and time-consuming process. Adjusting training schedules to accommodate berth availability frequently extends the overall training timeline, sometimes even doubling it. Meanwhile, having inexperienced operators working with real equipment slows productivity and increases the risk of an accident. Compound these problems with other issues such as the fuel and maintenance costs that come from training on real equipment, and there\u2019s significant potential for improvement.<\/p>\n
<\/strong>Simulation has been around for some time. Within the ports and maritime industry, simulation-based training tools began appearing in the early 2000s. As a result, the data on its benefits is clear and well-documented.<\/p>\n