Day 1 — The Port Ecosystem and Infrastructure
Module 1: The Port and Terminal Ecosystem
- Ports in global trade and economic development
- Types of ports and terminal specialisation: container, bulk, Ro-Ro, and break-bulk
- Key stakeholders: port authorities, terminal operators, shipping lines, and customs; the landlord port model
- Port community systems and global trends: mega-vessels, digitalisation, and sustainability
- Practical Exercise: map the stakeholders and cargo flows of a port you work with
Module 2: Infrastructure Planning and Development
- Port master planning and optimisation of space and flows
- Quays, berths, dredging, and navigational access; storage solutions
- Intermodal connections and investment models, including private-sector participation
- Practical Exercise: identify the main capacity constraints in a sample port layout and propose options
Day 2 — Vessel and Cargo Operations
Module 3: Vessel Operations and Berth Management
- Ship types, specifications, and implications for ports
- Berth allocation, scheduling, and turnaround-time reduction, including port call optimisation
- Vessel Traffic Management Systems (VTMS) and navigational safety
- Practical Exercise: build a simple berth allocation plan for a set of arriving vessels
Module 4: Cargo Handling and Terminal Operations
- Cargo handling equipment: cranes, reach stackers, forklifts, and conveyors
- Yard management: stacking, gate operations, and workflow optimisation
- Container, bulk, and break-bulk procedures, and KPIs such as moves per hour and dwell time
- Practical Exercise: calculate key terminal KPIs from sample data and identify improvement actions
Day 3 — Terminal Systems and Safety
Module 5: Terminal Operating Systems and Automation
- Functions, selection, and deployment of a Terminal Operating System (TOS)
- Automated equipment: automated stacking cranes (ASCs), automated guided vehicles (AGVs), and automated gates; the workforce and skills implications
- Digitalisation and integrated data exchange, including electronic exchange of ship-arrival information through single windows
- Practical Exercise: draft requirements for a TOS or a TOS upgrade at a sample terminal
Module 6: Safety, Health, and Environmental Management
- International instruments: SOLAS, the ISM Code, and MARPOL
- Risk assessment, hazard identification, emergency response, and occupational health and safety in ports
- Environmental impact: emissions, ballast water, and waste; green port initiatives, shore power, and sustainable operations
- Practical Exercise: complete a hazard identification and risk assessment for one terminal activity
Day 4 — Security and Supply Chain Integration
Module 7: Port Security and Risk Management
- Implementation of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code
- Physical and cyber security in port operations, including operational technology
- Risk assessment, mitigation, and business continuity planning; collaboration with security agencies and law enforcement
- Practical Exercise: build a basic port facility risk register including a cyber scenario
Module 8: Supply Chain Integration and Logistics Hubs
- The port as a logistics and intermodal hub
- Port-centric logistics, warehousing, and inventory control
- Free Trade Zones and Special Economic Zones, and connectivity with service providers
- Practical Exercise: design a simple hinterland connection plan to reduce container dwell time
Day 5 — Commercial Management, the Future of Ports and Action Plan
Module 9: Financial and Commercial Management
- Port economics: cost structures, pricing, and revenue models; regulation of port tariffs
- Competitive rate-setting, cost control, and investment appraisal
- Stakeholder engagement and relationship management
- Practical Exercise: compare two investment options for a terminal using a simple appraisal
Module 10: Emerging Trends and the Future of Ports
- Smart ports: Internet of Things (IoT), AI, big data, and digital twins, with attention to data and cyber risk
- Resilience: climate adaptation and geopolitical risk; decarbonisation, alternative fuels, and the IMO Net-Zero Framework, whose adoption was postponed in October 2025
- Case studies benchmarking leading ports and innovative practice; action planning
- Practical Exercise: present an improvement plan for your own port or terminal to the group
Day 1 — The Port and Terminal Ecosystem
Module 1: The Port and Terminal Ecosystem
- Ports in global trade and economic development
- Types of ports and terminal specialisation: container, bulk, Ro-Ro, and break-bulk
- Key stakeholders: port authorities, terminal operators, shipping lines, and customs; landlord, service, and tool port models
- Port services, port community systems, and global trends: mega-vessels, digitalisation, and sustainability
- Practical Exercise: map the stakeholders and cargo flows of a port you work with
Day 2 — Infrastructure Planning and Development
Module 2: Infrastructure Planning and Development
- Port master planning and optimisation of space and flows
- Quays, berths, dredging, and navigational access, and environmental authorisation
- Storage solutions: container yards, warehouses, and silos
- Intermodal connections: rail, road, and inland waterways
- Investment models and financing strategies for port infrastructure, including concessions and private-sector participation
- Practical Exercise: identify the main capacity constraints in a sample port layout and propose options
Day 3 — Vessel Operations and Berth Management
Module 3: Vessel Operations and Berth Management
- Ship types, specifications, and implications for ports
- Berth allocation, scheduling, and turnaround-time reduction, including port call optimisation
- Vessel Traffic Management Systems (VTMS) and navigational safety
- Operational best practice for efficient vessel management
- Practical Exercise: build a berth allocation plan for a set of arriving vessels and test it against a delay
Day 4 — Cargo Handling and Terminal Operations
Module 4: Cargo Handling and Terminal Operations
- Cargo handling equipment: cranes, reach stackers, forklifts, and conveyors
- Yard management: stacking, gate operations, and workflow optimisation
- Bulk, break-bulk, and container cargo procedures
- KPIs and performance measurement in cargo handling, such as moves per hour, berth productivity, and dwell time
- Practical Exercise: calculate key terminal KPIs from sample data and identify improvement actions
Day 5 — Terminal Operating Systems and Automation
Module 5: Terminal Operating Systems (TOS) and Automation
- Functions, selection, and deployment of a TOS
- Planning, execution, and control using digital tools
- Automated equipment: ASCs, AGVs, and automated gates, and the workforce and skills implications
- Digitalisation of terminal processes and integrated data exchange, including electronic exchange of ship-arrival information through single windows
- Practical Exercise: draft requirements for a TOS or a TOS upgrade at a sample terminal
Day 6 — Safety, Health, and Environmental Management
Module 6: Safety, Health, and Environmental Management
- International standards: SOLAS, the ISM Code, and MARPOL
- Risk assessment, hazard identification, and emergency response
- Occupational health and safety management in ports, including dangerous goods and fatigue
- Environmental impact: emissions, ballast water, and waste management
- Green port initiatives, shore power, and sustainable operations
- Practical Exercise: complete a hazard identification and risk assessment for one terminal activity
Day 7 — Port Security and Risk Management
Module 7: Port Security and Risk Management
- Implementation of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code
- Physical and cyber security in port operations, including operational technology
- Risk assessment, mitigation, and business continuity planning
- Collaboration with security agencies and law enforcement
- Practical Exercise: build a port facility risk register including a cyber attack scenario and test your response
Day 8 — Supply Chain Integration and Logistics Hubs
Module 8: Supply Chain Integration and Logistics Hubs
- The port as a logistics and intermodal transport hub
- Port-centric logistics, warehousing, and inventory control
- Free Trade Zones and Special Economic Zones
- Seamless supply chain connectivity and partnerships with service providers
- Practical Exercise: design a hinterland connection plan to reduce container dwell time
Day 9 — Financial and Commercial Management
Module 9: Financial and Commercial Management
- Port economics: cost structures, pricing, and revenue models; regulation of port tariffs
- Strategies for competitive rate-setting and cost control
- Investment appraisal, project finance, and commercial marketing
- Stakeholder engagement and relationship management
- Practical Exercise: compare two investment options for a terminal using NPV and payback
Day 10 — Emerging Trends and the Future of Ports
Module 10: Emerging Trends and the Future of Ports
- Smart ports: Internet of Things (IoT), AI, big data, and digital twins, with attention to data and cyber risk
- Resilience: climate change adaptation and geopolitical risk
- Decarbonisation, alternative fuels, and the IMO Net-Zero Framework, whose adoption was postponed in October 2025; innovation ecosystems
- E-commerce impacts and changing customer demands
- Case studies: benchmarking leading ports and innovative practice
- Practical Exercise: present an improvement plan for your own port or terminal to the group
The course instructor may adjust the programme for technical reasons, but the course objectives will always be met. Shipping, technology, and regulation change quickly, so examples are updated to current positions at delivery. The 5-Day Essentials is shown first; the 10-Day Advanced Programme follows.
