GUARD targets safer port operations

Launched on 9 June and running for a year, the Global Upskilling for Crane and Port Operations Safety (GUARD) initiative will develop a comprehensive training programme combining technical expertise, practical skills and digital learning tools to boost the competence of port workers and improve operational safety.

The project has been introduced against the backdrop of continuing safety challenges within European ports. According to the European Maritime Safety Agency, 2,510 accidents were reported across the maritime sector during 2022, highlighting the need for improved training and accident prevention measures.

GUARD aims to address these challenges through a structured programme that begins with a detailed assessment of current industry needs before developing specialised training materials and digital educational resources tailored to port operations. Pilot workshops will then be organised to test the training and encourage the exchange of knowledge and best practices among maritime professionals from different European countries.

The initiative will be implemented primarily in Spain and Portugal through close cooperation between industry organisations, port authorities and maritime safety specialists.

The project consortium brings together Spain’s Organización de Palangreros Guardeses (ORPAGU), Portuguese port authority Docapesca – Portos e Lotas, which is coordinating the project, Associação Pró-Maior Segurança dos Homens do Mar, an organisation specialising in the safety of maritime professionals, and Belgium’s Finnova Foundation, responsible for project management and communications.

Co-funded through the Erasmus+ programme for vocational education and training, GUARD also seeks to strengthen cross-border cooperation by aligning vocational training with the evolving needs of the maritime labour market.